GoogleA care home has been placed in special measures after inspectors found the level of care had deteriorated.
Garsewednack Residential Home in Redruth, Cornwall, has room for up to 21 residents, including some living with dementia, with 16 people living there at the time of the last inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The CQC said due to the level of concern identified during inspection, it had issued four warning notices requiring “immediate improvements in a number of areas”.
The home said it was disappointed with the outcome of the inspection and its priority was always the “health, dignity and happiness” of its residents.
The CQC found the home was in breach of six regulations relating to consent, dignity and respect, safe care and treatment, recruitment, and management of the service.
It downgraded ratings for “safe, effective, and well-led” from good to inadequate, with the ratings for “caring and responsive” reduced to requires improvement.
In a statement, Garsewednack Residential Home said: “Whilst the inspection report identifies areas of improvement and failings, many of the issues highlighted had already been identified by the team and work was already underway to address those prior to inspection.
“Since the inspection in September, we have actively taken further steps to strengthen our care and support within the home, including further staff training, procedure updates, investment in facility equipment and regular auditing procedures to ensure continued quality of care to our residents.
“We are disappointed with the outcome of the inspection which has affected our long standing grading of ‘Good’.
“We consistently receive positive feedback from residents and families, and staff remain committed to delivering compassionate, person centered care.”
‘People placed at risk’
Stefan Kallee, CQC deputy director of adult social care in Cornwall, said inspectors who visited the home found “poor leadership had created an unsafe environment, putting people at risk of harm and neglect”.
“We identified several examples where people were placed at risk of harm,” he said.
“For example, staff weren’t following one person’s medical guidance from a health professional, which put them at risk of choking and of inhaling food or fluids into their lungs.
“We also saw most first-floor windows lacked tamper-proof restrictors, exposing people to the risk of falling from height.”
He added: “Staff told us morale was low, and they often struggled to do their jobs properly due to staff shortages and limited support from management.
“As a result, parts of the home were cluttered, unclean, and had a strong smell of urine, which is unacceptable for a place people call home.
“Although we saw staff being kind and caring, we also witnessed situations where people’s dignity was disregarded.
“For example, we saw a staff member supporting someone with their continence needs in a communal lounge, which did not promote dignity or respect.”
Mr Kallee said the CQC had told Garsewednack’s leaders exactly where they must make immediate and significant improvements. He added the home would be monitored to ensure people were kept safe while required changes were being made.
