Seven Arches Nursing Home, in Lea-Rigg, was found in breach of legal regulations around safe care and treatment after a visit from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in April.
A report published on May 23 revealed that the home ‘requires improvement’ in both the ‘safe’ and ‘well-led’ assessment areas, dropping down from its previous ‘good’ ratings.
CQC inspectors found that “some aspects of the service were not always safe” and there was “an increased risk that people could be harmed”.
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The report said: “The provider did not always have a proactive and positive culture of safety based on openness and honesty.
“Staff did not always listen to concerns about safety and did not always investigate and report safety events.”
Inspectors detailed incidents where risks were not managed, including one example where thickening powder used in drinks – which is “a risk to people if ingested or swallowed” – was left on a bedside table.
Other dangers found in the home included some wardrobes which had not been secured to the wall, an open staircase which “had not been fully assessed”, and a damaged electrical socket.
Concerns around infection prevention and control were also picked up during the CQC inspection.
Equipment such as bedrail bumpers and crash mats were found “soiled and damaged”, according to inspectors, and toilet brushes were left sat in water which could “promote bacteria growth”.
However, the home had carried out a deep clean and replaced damaged equipment by day two of the assessment.
Issues were also raised by the inspectors over “inconsistent” leadership and management of Seven Arches.
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The report said the manager had been absent for a week, but senior staff had not picked up safety issues identified by the CQC.
The home did, however, keep its ‘good’ ratings for the ‘caring’, ‘effective’, and ‘responsive’ assessment categories.
A spokesperson for Seven Arches Nursing Home said: “We welcome the recent CQC inspection as an important opportunity to reflect on our standards and continue improving the quality of care we provide.
“We take the CQC’s recommendations seriously and will continue to work closely with all relevant authorities to ensure high standards are maintained and built upon.”
Seven Arches provides nursing and personal care for 25 people aged 65 and over.
