Residents at Bromley care home are at ‘risk of unsafe care’

Home field care home rated ‘requires improvement’ by watchdog (Image: Google Maps)

A care home in Bromley is said to be in breach of legal regulations by exposing residents to “risk of unsafe care and treatment”.

Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors have rated Homefield Care Home in Lyme Close as ‘requires improvement’ following an inspection in November 2023.

Homefield, operated by Mission Care, provides nursing, personal care and support to 41 elderly residents living with dementia.

In a report published on 8 March, the CQC assessed that the service required improvement in terms of safety, effectiveness and leadership.

Despite these ratings, the home was rated ‘Good’ for its thoughtfulness and responsiveness.

Inspectors found that “people are not always protected from risks associated with care and support” and that these risks are not always properly assessed and documented in care plans and records. He said it was not.

For example, one resident’s care plan indicated that she had epilepsy and was at risk for seizures.

However, inspectors found no risk assessment was carried out for the condition and no guidance was given to staff on what to do if an attack occurred.

The report therefore concluded that the person “has the potential to cause harm.”

The report also found that “the service did not always operate within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act” and that “the processes in place for the management and administration of medicines were not always safe”. Says.

The report found no residents were harmed, but said residents were “at risk of receiving unsafe care.”

Despite these concerns, residents reported feeling safe in the home, according to inspectors.

Staff were supported through training and knew how to address any concerns.

The report highlighted that people described staff as “caring and kind” and praised their respect for residents’ dignity and independence.

story continues

Despite praising the staff and their care, the CQC concluded that the care home breached several legal regulations, including the Mental Capacity Act.

The report highlights actions taken during and after the inspection to correct these issues.

Recommendations were made for best practices in areas such as medicines management.

A Homefield spokesperson said: “We are extremely disappointed with the latest CQC assessment and strongly believe that it does not accurately reflect the quality of care we are providing.”

“Homefield has a well-established reputation as a dementia care service, loved by residents and relatives alike, and recognized by the local community for the care environment our staff provide.

“We are proud of the popularity of this home, high occupancy rate and positive customer service ratings.

“We are in discussions with the CQC to understand how they reached their conclusions.”

CQC is giving Homefield the opportunity to make the necessary improvements to meet legal standards.

The watchdog will examine the center’s performance in future inspections.