Deteriorating care puts home in special measures

A care home has been placed into special measures after inspectors found care had "deteriorated" and regulations relating to care and safeguarding were breached.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said it had downgraded the rating of Mr C's in Torquay, Devon, from good to inadequate and put it into special measures to "protect people" following an inspection in July.

Run by Woodland Healthcare Limited the care home provides accommodation and care for up to 40 older people, including people living with dementia.

The senior management team at the home said the feedback had been accepted and it was working very hard to rectify the issues found and make the necessary improvements.

It added: "As part of this process we have introduced a new management structure, strengthened the leadership and oversight and have already made a lot of positive progress to date.

"Moving forward we are committed to work closely with the CQC and the local authority in partnership to continue to improve the service."

Inspectors found the home in breach of five regulations in relation to person-centred care, staffing, safe care and treatment, safeguarding and how the service was being managed.

The CQC rated Mr C's as inadequate for how safe, effective, responsive and well-led it was and caring was rated as requires improvement.

Stefan Kallee, CQC's deputy director of adult social care in Cornwall, said: "When we inspected Mr C's care home, we found a service where leadership and management had left people exposed to risks.

"A lift breakdown lasting five weeks impacted on people's lives. One wheelchair user missed a health appointment because they couldn't get out of the building and another told us they didn't feel safe using the stairs.

"A relative described their family member sleeping in a recliner chair in the lounge for days because they couldn't reach their bedroom.

"Leaders had not realised, or risk assessed, the impact this would have on people's lives."

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