'Altercations and assaults': Full 'inadequate' report reveals shocking issues at unsafe care home
An 'unsafe' care home where distressed dementia patients attacked one another, did not always receive painkillers when needed and were in danger of choking on their food has been branded "inadequate".
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Shocked Care Quality Commission inspectors had to ask a deputy manager to intervene to ensure the safety of residents, many of whom are paying £1,000 a week for care, during a visit to Swan House, Willenhall.
The care home, on Pooles Lane, which is run by Absolute Healthcare, caters for adults under the age of 65 with physical disabilities and accepts individuals with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia and mental health conditions. The home was placed in special measures in January but the full inspectors' report has now been published.
Management had ignored previous CQC warnings about its standard of care and were breaking several health and safety regulations designed to keep patients safe.
Vulnerable residents were being filmed without their consent and there were worrying failures in administering medicine including preventing patients getting pain relief.
The damning CQC report states: "The service was not safe. Risks to people were not monitored or reviewed after incidents or changes occurred and people were not protected from harm. Care plans and risk assessments lacked detail, and actions implemented to keep people safe were not followed. People did not always receive pain relief when needed and medicines were not always safely managed, as stock checks were inaccurate, and bottles opened were not dated."
Inspectors found leadership lacking, staff unable to carry out care properly and unable to follow improvement plans. The price of a full week's care is £1,093 according to several websites.
