Idle care home probe report (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Idle care home probe report

6:00am Wednesday 20th May 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(1)

A snap inspection into a Bradford care home at the centre of an investigation into standards of care has revealed disturbing conditions.

Weaver Court in Idle is home to 19 residents with learning disabilities and last week more details emerged of three deaths there.

Now a report by Care Quality Commission inspectors has documented a catalogue of problems.

Their unannounced inspection took place in March after issues were flagged up by staff to Bradford District Care Trust and Bradford Council which are responsible for the running of the home.

The commission report told how one person has lived at the home for ten years despite it being identified in 1999 that the home did not meet their needs.

In 2005 a further review told that Weaver Court was not the best place for the resident and “they were a risk to other people in the home”.

It described the home as “very institutional” in its environment and complained that staff were using inappropriate baby monitors as listening devices.

Inspectors also saw residents with ill-fitting clothes, and this left some exposing parts of their bodies in their night attire.

Care records were not dated or signed so it was unclear if they were current or who had signed them. Others were not followed correctly, such as regular weight and fluid intake checks.

“Staff said the more vulnerable people in the home were at risk from the unwanted attentions of other people who live at the home and went on to say that people were mismatched and didn’t always get on,” the report states.

“One person regularly sits on another person’s knee, without their consent and scratches the back of their neck, when they become irritated they will push the person away and this has resulted in bruising.”

Inspectors also said that the home was very big and that the size and layout of the building “does not allow for adequate supervision”.

The report details a long list of what the care home could do better. As for what the home does well, it highlights that the care trust has “swiftly responded” to the concerns and an action plan has been drawn up as well as increasing the numbers of staff at the home and trying to secure a stable workforce.

A spokesman for the authorities involved said: “Bradford Council, NHS Bradford and Airedale and Bradford District Care Trust have considered the report and have jointly drawn up a comprehensive action plan to make improvements to the service.

“New managerial arrangements and additional resources are now in place to improve the quality of life for residents at the care home and we are working together in partnership to monitor the action plan.

“The work we are doing builds on our joint review of learning disabilities service. We recognise that a new approach to the way services are commissioned and provided is needed to make sure services improve. The Council and NHS Bradford and Airedale are urgently addressing this issue.

“People with learning disabilities and their carers are, and will be, fully involved throughout the changes.”

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland (Lib Dem, Idle), who has called the authorities to task over the situation at Weaver Court, said: “This is shocking and it is evidence of neglect. People put their relatives into the care of the Care Trust and both these words – care and trust – have been misused.”

A full inspection has since taken place and the Care Quality Commission’s findings are expected shortly.

What the report recommends

* Residents must have a support plan which is regularly reviewed, written by competent staff and in plain English, easy to follow and fully reflects the person’s needs.

* They must show that people who use the service are making choices about the way they lead their lives.

* Staff must follow care plan guidance to make sure people’s needs are met and they are safe.

* Where a risk is identified a risk assessment must be in place.

* Staff must review people’s health care needs to make sure they are receiving the support they need.

* Staff must protect people’s dignity and speak to people respectfully.

Incident forms and behaviour charts must be reviewed regularly to identify any changes.

* All staff must follow the safeguarding adult procedures for all allegations of abuse and alert both adult protection and the Care Quality Commission.

• Comment

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(1)