Review of our response to events at Lancaster care home

Following a Learning Review by Lancashire Safeguarding Adults Board in relation to Hillcroft Throstle Gove in Lancaster published in June 2014, we have published our own report into CQC’s involvement with Hillcroft (Carnforth) Limited from registration under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 on 1 October 2010 to January 2014.

The report explains what action CQC took and what lessons we have learned.

Both the Learning Review and our own report follow an investigation by Lancashire Constabulary which resulted in four members of staff being charged with offences relating to mistreatment and neglect of residents at the home.

Debbie Westhead, our Deputy Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care in the North, said: “I was appalled by what happened at Hillcroft Throstle Grove and my thoughts remain with the people who suffered such awful care and with their families. The Learning Review highlighted serious failings in the way the home was managed by Hillcroft Carnforth Limited between December 2010 and May 2012, but it also made recommendations for all agencies, including CQC.

“Our own review has identified a number of areas where we can learn lessons: at times we missed opportunities to take action with this service.

“The way we worked at the time meant we did not respond to early warning signs, we did not fully recognise the increasing risk to people using the service, and we were too easily reassured by the responses of the provider that it was able to improve.

“Since then, we have done a great deal to drive forward significant and sustained improvements on many issues we identified as areas of concern. For example CQC is now more responsive to whistleblowing concerns and more effective in monitoring notifications of risk; our inspection techniques have improved with a greater focus on public involvement, and recruitment of additional staff is ongoing.

“However, there is more we can and will do. We will keep working hard to make further improvements in partnership with people running care services, local authorities and other agencies.

You can view a copy of our report below.

A review of our response to events at Hillcroft Throstle Grove