Cumbria care home in special measures

Care homes in Cumbria have been placed in special measures by the health watchdog due to inadequate services.

Holmwood Residential Care Home in Cockermouth was visited by Care Quality Commission inspectors in July and August last year, and the watchdog published its report this month.

At the time of the inspection, 22 people were living in the house on Lamplugh Road.

Inspectors requested GP visits for four people who had experienced neglect or were concerned they were at risk of neglect.

The report added: “In some cases, people were crying because they did not receive the support they needed.”

The report also found:

• People were at grave risk because safety was not a priority
• people were not protected from the risk of abuse
• Health and safety risks were not always identified or managed
• There were not enough staff
• Staff did not always have the right knowledge and skills to provide care
• People were not involved in end-of-life care planning, including one person receiving end-of-life care.
• The site was not suitable for people’s needs
• There was a lack of relationships with local primary care physicians.
• Infection prevention was inadequate
• people were not treated with dignity or respect
• Care was provided to increase staff speed and efficiency rather than the individual’s needs.

Inspectors said the service was unsafe and rated it inadequate.

They said they found no evidence that people were harmed. However, providers were unable to assess and reduce the risks to people, putting them at risk of harm.

The report highlighted that the call bell system was not fit for purpose, and staff were using walkie-talkies to communicate, but these were not effective.

The report states: “Inspectors had to tell staff which buzzers were activated so they could respond. Some people stopped ringing the doorbell because requests for assistance weren’t always answered.”

The home told the commission it would arrange for the call bell system to be replaced.

The commission continues to review the home and plans to re-inspect it within six months. If no improvement is seen, the Commission may take enforcement action.

The report further added: “People were at risk from unmanaged health conditions, injuries and unsafe end-of-life care. We made introductions to secure them.”

Inspectors said staff could be unfriendly, callous and inconsiderate.

“We observed a person sitting with their bedroom door open as the call bell rang and care staff walking past the person’s room and ignoring them. Another said: Told. [care staff] Just say, “You know there’s only two of us out of 26 people, right?”

“People experienced discomfort and distress as their requests for assistance to care staff were not answered in a timely manner or they did not receive reassurance. At times, they felt so uncomfortable that they cried for support. Some people could be seen crying out in pain. One person said: [care staff] a little disgusting
Join me as I press the buzzer. ”

“People’s care and support was organized with staff convenience in mind. For example, people were given meals in their bedrooms because it was easier for staff to administer.

“People have been encouraged to go to bed early as part of an established and institutionalized routine.

“Most people were in their bedrooms by 4pm, had tea by 4.30pm and then changed into their night clothes.

“People remained in their rooms until the next morning. One staff member was seen persuading new employees to go to bed early even though they didn’t want to.”

Inspectors said that after receiving the feedback, provider representatives spoke to people to consider their preferences and the changes needed in their homes to accommodate them.

However, the report added: “Registered managers were not always open or accepting of issues found during inspections. For example, they said people were choosing to go to their bedrooms at 4pm. I have observed encouraging this practice.”

Lakeland Care’s parent company, Churchlake Holdings Limited, began operations in 2022.

Holmwood is overseen by administrators Kroll Advisory and Cornerstone Care Solutions.

Phil Dakin, co-manager of Kroll, told the BBC: “While we accept there were some shortcomings regarding the condition of the home at the time of the inspection, the details in this report are misleading. I strongly feel that this is the case and have raised the issue.” Do this directly in CQC.

“The report contains a number of inaccuracies and does not highlight much of the positive evidence provided regarding the care given to residents.

“We take allegations of inadequate service very seriously and feel that we have adequately addressed the relevant concerns raised by regulators.

“We are extremely disappointed that the CQC has made no further attempt to engage directly with us, formally acknowledge our complaints, or undertake a re-inspection of the service.

“The inspection took place in July last year and is further proof of the regulator’s inability to deal with such a serious issue.”