Manor House care home has failed to protect people’s safety and welfare says regulator

23 March 2011

The Manor House, Lynmouth is not meeting six essential standards.

The Care Quality Commission has told the owners of the Manor House care home at Lynmouth in Devon that they must make improvements to comply with the essential standards of quality and safety.

Inspectors have found that the care home has failed to protect the safety and welfare of its residents. Where CQC has concerns, it has a range of enforcement powers which can be used, including prosecution, closure, or restriction of services.  Any regulatory decision that CQC takes is open to challenge by a registered person through a variety of internal and external appeal processes.

In a report which is published today, CQC says that the providers, Mr and Mrs Watson, were not meeting six of the essential standards. Providers of care services have a legal responsibility to make sure they are meeting all the essential standards of quality and safety.

The CQC report follows a previous visit to the Manor House, in October 2010, in response to concerns which had been raised by a previous manager.

Following that inspection, Mr and Mrs Watson were told to provide plans showing how they would achieve compliance with all the standards The providers agreed not to admit further service users until they had a suitably qualified person working at the home to assess their needs. CQC has been working closely with Devon County Council and Devon NHS to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the residents.

Inspectors visited the home again in January to follow up that report. They found that while there has been some improvement since then, the care provided is still falling short of standards people should be able to expect. Areas of concern include:

Staffing: There are not enough suitably qualified, experienced and skilled persons employed for the purpose of carrying on the regulated activity to meet the needs of people at the home

Management of medicines: There are poor medicines handling, storage and recording at the home. This places people at risk of not receiving their correct medicines.

Cooperating with other providers: The registered providers do not always work effectively with other healthcare professionals to ensure that the care, support and treatment of people using the service was coordinated properly and safely.

Respecting and involving people in their care: Suitable arrangements were not always in place for obtaining and acting in accordance with, the consent of people who use the service.

Records: Records have not been as well maintained or kept accurately to ensure that individuals are fully protected against the risks of unsafe or inappropriate care and treatment.

Bernadette Hanney, acting Regional Director of CQC in the South West, said that inspectors who returned to the home on 15 March had noted significant progress had been made.

She said: “In January it was a matter of some concern that the Manor House had not made the improvements we required.

"However the evidence from our most recent inspection indicates that the Manor House has made significant changes, including the arrangements for handling and storing medications, which were a particular concern. We will publish a further report from that inspection within the next few weeks. 

"We have been informed that Mr and Mrs Watson are now planning to close the home and we would want to be sure that the improvements we have seen are sustained until then.

"Our first priority remains the welfare of the residents. We will be working closely with Devon County Council and Devon NHS to ensure their safety and wellbeing." 

Ends

For further information please contact the CQC press office on 0207 448 9401 or out of hours on 07917 232 143.

Notes to editors