Regulator takes action against ‘wholly unfit’ care home manager

28 May 2012

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has cancelled the registration of the manager of a London care home where residents had been assaulted by staff – and that decision has now been upheld by a care standards tribunal.

Blessing Oluku, former manager of the Dormers Wells Lodge care home in Southall, west London, has been found to be unfit to manage the home. Ms Oluku had appealed to the tribunal against CQC’s decision, but following the judgement will now be removed from the official register.

The Southwark tribunal heard that concerns regarding the way the home was being managed by Ms Oluku came to light when a care worker, Slawomira Kowalkowska, secretly filmed two of her colleagues abusing people living there. This evidence triggered an unannounced inspection by CQC in September 2010, which was followed up in November 2010.

Inspectors found major concerns with five standards of care including regulations regarding respecting and involving people, care and welfare, safeguarding, staffing, and monitoring the quality of the service provided.

Ms Oluku was suspended by Dormers Wells Lodge in November 2010, and was subsequently dismissed.

Since that time CQC has worked closely with local commissioners, social services and the police to make sure people living at the home are protected. CQC has carried out four further inspections to follow up on the concerns raised.

In evidence to the tribunal, CQC inspectors said that systemic failings at the home were closely linked to the way it was being managed by Ms Oluku.  The Tribunal also heard evidence from Ms Kowalkowska, other care staff, local commissioners, a resident who still lives at Dormers Wells Lodge, and the relative of a resident.

In giving their verdict, the tribunal was critical of Ms Oluku's management style, which they said was partly responsible for unacceptable standards of systemically poor care at the home.

They said: "She ought to have been aware of the care the home was giving and that it was not acceptable.

"We find that [Ms Oluku] does not have the necessary skills required. We therefore find that [Ms Oluku] is not fit to be registered as a Manager.”

Matthew Trainer, Deputy Director of CQC in London, said:

“We welcome this judgement. CQC is determined to take firm action when we find such poor management in a care home.

“Ms Oluku, as the manager, was responsible for the running of a home which was failing the vulnerable people who lived there. This judgement supports our view that she was unfit to perform such a responsible role.

“A good manager can make a huge positive difference to the quality of care, but a bad manager can be a disaster for residents and must be tackled.

“It is frustrating that it has taken 18 months for this case to be resolved, but over that time CQC inspectors have been working closely with other agencies to make sure that people are safe and to improve care standards at Dormers Wells Lodge. We will continue to take action where we identify poor care to protect vulnerable people from harm.”

Ends

Notes to editors

At Isleworth Crown Court on 9 March 2012, Sonia Limbu, 26, was convicted of three counts of ill-treatment under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, and was ordered to complete 150 hours of community service.

Pargarsh Kaur Sahota, 57, was convicted on four counts, and must complete 200 hours of community service.

The court heard that they had been recorded hitting, pushing and shouting at residents. The judge in their case stated that, in his view, Ms Oluku was a wholly unfit person to manage a care home.

Dormers Wells Lodge is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 45 people, including people with dementia. 

At the last inspection CQC found that Dormers Wells Lodge had made improvements, but identified moderate concerns with care and welfare of people, safety and suitability of premises, and assessing and monitoring the quality of the service provided.

CQC inspectors will return unannounced to check that the home has made the improvements which were required.