CQC made an unannounced inspection of Cedar Court, Cranleigh on 4 June 2015. During this inspection, CQC inspectors observed a number of failings with potentially very serious consequences for people living at this home. These included:
- A resident with special dietary requirement which were not being met, leaving them at risk of choking.
- A diabetic resident whose blood sugar levels had not been recorded for over seven months.
- People without access to call bells, so they could not call for help. During the inspection visit, one person called out continuously for help for ten minutes before an inspector asked a member of staff to assist.
- Residents, relatives, staff and a health care professional all told inspectors “there are not enough staff.”
- Very poor hygiene and cleanliness throughout, including beds left soiled and unchanged, dirty food trollies and full bags of soiled laundry in the bathrooms. CQC had received concerns before the inspection that the service was unclean. The service had been closed twice due to outbreaks of infection, but the manager told inspectors that there was no one responsible for infection control.
These and other failings led inspectors to judge the care provided to people living at this home ‘Inadequate’. The full report can be found here.This inspection team consisted of three CQC inspectors plus an ‘expert by experience’ who had experience of caring for someone with dementia.
Hopefully the fact that Mr Lilley thought this service was ‘impressive’ on his recent visit means that managers have used CQC’s inspection report to make significant improvements – and that these improvements will be in evidence when CQC makes another unannounced inspection.