Care home placed in special measures after CQC inspection

Beechwood Specialist Services, in Aigburth, Liverpool, has been placed in special measures after the Care Quality Commission (CQC) ruled the provider as ‘inadequate’.

The care centre, which supports adults with neurodegenerative diseases, had quality assurance systems in place but did not operate effectively enough to ensure people received a safe, effective caring, responsive and well led service, a recent CQC report has revealed.

A spokesperson from the home said: “We take all feedback from the Care Quality Commission extremely seriously are working with CQC and the local authority to address the areas raised.

“Following the inspection in July, we immediately put in place a robust action plan for improvement. We have employed a new and experienced management team who are working hard to implement this plan.

“Nothing is more important to us than the health and wellbeing of the individuals we support.”

The inspection revealed a number of breaches related to person-centred care, safe care and treatment, safeguarding residents from abuse and improper treatment, premises and equipment, good governance and staffing.

In addition, vulnerable residents were ‘at risk of a potential assault’ after care workers had failed to report concerns about another member of staff in a timely manner.

Inspectors reported the standard of maintenance as low, with broken glass found on a fire door, missing flooring, windows that did not close and radiator covers that were not fixed in place.

Employees described the home as short-staffed, with bosses from European Wellcare Homes Ltd regularly using agency workers and offering extra shifts to fill rotas.

Inspectors found that a number of residents’ Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards were not up to date – legal paperwork required before patients’ rights can be limited for their own safety. An inspector said: "We saw no legal basis for either of these people having to stay at the home without their consent."

Furthermore, the report has also revealed that the design and layout of the building was unsuitable for the residents as the lounge was a ‘dark, dismal room’ and the building was ‘institutional rather than homely’.

Fourteen staff were asked by CQC inspectors if they would let a relative stay at Beechwood – six said no, two said yes, several chose not to answer and the rest said it would depend on the circumstances.

The CQC report concluded: 'Where necessary, another inspection will be conducted within a further six months and if there is not enough improvement, we will move to close the service.'