CARE homes across west Dorset have failed to meet national standards, according to official reports.

The Bridport News can reveal that 69 care homes across the county have been told to improve.

Inspectors found urine samples stored in a medication refrigerator at Coneygar Lodge in Bridport and highlighted issues of cleanliness and record keeping at Autism Wessex Highcroft and Valley View care home in Beaminster.

This is the latest information obtained from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website which posts its inspection results online.

It comes in the wake of a Panorama documentary on BBC1, which showed shocking footage of elderly residents being neglected and mistreated.

Across the county, inspectors have highlighted issues at Dorset facilities which include hygiene, medication dosage, protection from abuse, record-keeping and ethical concerns of ‘privacy and dignity’.

Among these homes, six in the county have faced enforcement action – including one in Dorchester.

At Coneygar Lodge in Bridport, inspectors found that improvements, promised in February, 2013, had not been made.

The medicines refrigerator was used to store urine samples and handwritten entries on to the Medication Administration Record (MAR) were not always signed by two members of staff to confirm accuracy.

However, it says the storage and recording of controlled drugs had improved since the last inspection.

Autism Wessex Highcroft and Valley View care home in Beaminster provides care for six people with complex needs.

An inspection in February recorded that due legal processes were not being consistently followed, the home was not clean and training records were inaccurate.

However, since then a further inspection in March found that the home was clean and refurbishments and repairs had been made.

In February, inspectors found that at Drayton House Residential Home in Bridport ‘systems and safeguards to ensure people experience appropriate care and support, and to protect their human rights, were not in place.’

The report also ruled interactions between staff and residents were limited to staff carrying out tasks with people.

Inspectors said: “The manager did not have effective systems in place to assess and monitor the quality of services and the home did not have effective systems to maintain a minimum standard of cleanliness.”

At Thistlegate House in Charmouth, inspectors found that ‘the provider had not always assessed people’s needs and planned care appropriately to meet their needs’ at the care home.

The report following a routine inspection in January found some assessments ‘had been completed inaccurately’ and staff knowledge about people’s care needs was ‘inconsistent’.

However, people at the home spoke positively about the care they received and the staff.

No-one from Thistlegate House wished to comment.
Pinhay House Residential Care House in Lyme Regis, which appointed a new manager in August, 2013, was visited in November last year. Inspectors ruled that ‘systems for keeping the home clean were not consistent throughout the home’.

Inspectors said: “People’s care records were not accurate and lacked sufficient detail, with gaps in seven care records.”

However, after the inspection, the manager sent the CQC an action plan telling them what work they had already done and plans to make improvements.

Clarondene Residential Care Home in Lyme Regis, which provides accommodation and personal care for up to 12 people, was inspected in June, 2013.

Inspectors found that risk assessments were not regularly reviewed and people were not protected from risks such as malnutrition or pressure sores. In addition, medicines were not always stored securely and administration records and controlled drugs registers were not always accurate.

However, residents spoke positively about the staff within the home.

l All the homes were contacted by the Bridport News.

CQC to return to failing care homes

THE head of the Care Quality Commission's social care inspectors in the South has committed to return to every care home which has been failing to meet national standards.

After unannounced inspections by CQC identified a range of concerns at care homes, inspectors have told the providers that they must make improvements.

Adrian Hughes, deputy chief inspector of adult social care, said: “People have a right to expect good quality, safe and effective care; there is no excuse for poor or inadequate care.

“Our reports show that many providers across England and in Dorset provide good care which people using the services and their relatives value, but we have some providers who have not achieved this.

“Where we find that a care home, or any provider, is failing to meet the standards, we would always expect the provider to show us how they are going to address the issue.

“We will return, without notice, to see for ourselves how that care provider is performing. Most providers will take action, but if we are not satisfied - then we can and will take further action.”

Improvements have been made at many homes

MANY West Dorset homes have been keen to highlight improvements and progress made since the CQC reports.

Jon Wyatt, director of social care services at Autism Wessex, said the Highcroft and Valley care home was the only one out of ten others managed by Autism Wessex that received requirements from the CQC.

He added: “The requirements related to two issues concerning the way we record information; these were not practice issues but the way information was recorded, and has been rectified.

“The third issue raised was that of cleanliness. I am pleased to say the CQC re-inspected this service on the March 31 in relation to cleanliness and this requirement was met.”

He added that plans to move to a more modern premises were being discussed with families.

James Cross, director of Coneygar Lodge Ltd, said: "Whilst our CQC inspection from over a year ago was positive, there were two issues highlighted relating to administration of medication. One was the use of a medication fridge to store specimens and that other being the absence of a second signature on a medication record.

“Although both minor issues, we took immediate action to ensure that these were fully addressed.”

He added that since then the home has had three independent inspections of its medication administration system and no issues had been found with an 'excellent' rating received on both pharmacy inspections.

He said: “We are more than happy to share these reports with anyone and we are confident that they demonstrate we are now fully compliant in this area, as we are in all other areas of our CQC report.”

The Bridport News understands that some of these homes have undergone a review and since met all standards- the CQC will publish these online in the coming weeks.

O Thistlegate House, Charmouth - latest inspection report published on February 13
Providing care, treatment and support that meets people's needs: Improvements required
Management: Improvements required
O Pinhay House Residential Care Home, Lyme Regis - latest inspection report published on December 20
Caring for people safely and protecting them from harm: Improvements required
Staffing: Improvements required
Management: Improvements required
O Drayton House Residential Care Home, Bridport - latest inspection report published on March 19
Treating people with respect and involving them in their care: Improvements required
Management: Improvements required
O Clarondene Residential Care Home, Lyme Regis - latest inspection report published on June 14, 2013
Providing care, treatment and support that meets people's needs: Improvements required
Caring for people safely and protecting them from harm: Improvements required
Staffing: Improvements required
Management: Improvements required
O Coneygar Lodge, Bridport - latest inspection report published on May 29, 2013
Caring for people safely and protecting them from harm: Improvements required
O Autism Wessex-Highcroft and Valley View, Beaminster - latest report published on May 15
Treating people with respect and involving them in their care: Improvements required
Management: Improvements required