'Inadequate' care home placed in special measures

A care home in Nottinghamshire for people living with dementia and mental health needs has been placed into special measures by the health and social care watchdog.

Aldercar Residential Care Home, in Hucknall, run by Ania Limited, was rated "inadequate" by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following an inspection in May.

Inspectors found leaders did not have sufficient control over the safety of the care, poor assessments of people before they moved in, and a lack of recording incidents among other problems at the home.

The CQC said it had placed the care home into special measures, which means it will be closely monitored under a timeframe by which the care home must make improvements.

At the time of the inspection, between 12 and 20 May, there were 19 people being cared for at the home.

The CQC said it identified five breaches of regulation relating to "risk management, medicines, person-centred care, consent, safeguarding and governance".

"The service was not consistently safe, effective, responsive or well-led, and significant shortfalls were identified across all areas of care," the CQC said.

Inspectors also identified a "weak safety culture", while safeguarding processes were not always followed and staff were not fully trained.

Inspectors found people did not always receive timely care due to staff being busy with others and that leaders did not always recruit staff safely.

According to the report, one resident said: "Staff are under so much pressure if I ask for a cup of hot water I might not get it."

Another told inspectors: "I get told off if I use my buzzer too often at night."

Some people also reported feeling they had little choice or control over their lives.

However the CQC said it also received some positive feedback about staff kindness and compassion.

Greg Rielly, CQC's deputy director of adult social care in the East Midlands, said: "During our visit to Aldercar Residential Care Home, we found a service where leaders didn't have sufficient control over the quality and safety of care being provided.

"The home lacked systems and processes to monitor care, while issues hadn't been identified and acted upon."

He added the new management team was working to "turn things around" and noted positive feedback from healthcare professionals and staff.

However, he said the improvements "clearly needed more time to embed to ensure people received the care they deserved".

"We have told leaders and staff at Aldercar Residential Care Home where improvements must be made.

"We will keep the service under close review to ensure people receive safe care while this happens," Rielly said.

In a statement the service said it fully recognised the "seriousness" of the CQC's findings and said its priority remained the "wellbeing, dignity and safety" of its residents.

It added: "We would like to reassure residents, relatives, professionals and the wider community that significant work has already commenced since the inspection to address the concerns identified through an internal improvement program.

"The service is also working closely with the local authority quality teams and independent care consultants to support and sustain further improvements.

"We are grateful for the continued support of our residents, families, staff team and partner organisations as we continue this improvement journey."

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