CQC shuts down Nottinghamshire care home

Care home regulator, Care Quality Commission, has taken urgent legal action to shut down a care home, due to concerns over the health and wellbeing of its residents.

CQC successfully applied to the court for a cancellation of the registration of Redlands Care Home, on Rock Hill, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, with immediate effect.

Adrian Hughes, deputy chief inspector at CQC, said: “CQC applied to the Nottingham Magistrates Court to cancel the registration of this home, because of serious concerns in relation to the welfare and well-being of its residents.

“Taking action leading to the closure of any service is not something that we take lightly, but in this case we had no choice but to take urgent action to protect people living at the home.

“This sends a strong public message that we will not hesitate to use our powers to take tough action if we have significant concerns about the care and welfare of people who use services. We continue to work closely with the local authority who will ensure that people are moved to suitable alternative accommodation.”

The court action means registered provider, Redlandscare Limited, can no longer provide a care service from its premises.

CQC took the action on the basis of information received from the local authority, Nottinghamshire County Council, which is working with the residents’ families to find alternative accommodation for the home’s six residents.

An inspection carried out by the CQC back in June this year, revealed that ‘the lack of maintenance of the environment people lived in, the lack of staff numbers and poor standards of cleanliness meant people's safety and wellbeing were placed at risk’.

The inspectors said that ‘people were not cared for in an environment that was clean and free from the risk of the spread of infection. Bedrooms were odour free but required more substantial cleaning that was currently being provided.

‘Bathrooms and toilets were clean but required maintenance work to reduce the risk of the spread of infection. Communal areas were tidy, but also required cleaning. Outside areas were poorly maintained and laundry was dried outside in an area that contained litter and next to a dirty staircase.’

On the plus side, the staff were found to provide care ‘for people in a way that safe and met their needs. They were patient and friendly and had a good knowledge of each person’s needs. A person who used the service said, “I do feel safe.”’

However inspectors concluded that ‘the low numbers of staff posed a risk to the safety of people who used the service. In addition to their caring role, care assistants were also expected to carry out domestic duties as well cooking and the laundry’.

Redlandscare Limited has the legal right to appeal the decision made by Nottingham Magistrates Court.