Care home placed in special measures by regulator

A care home which specialises in looking after people with dementia has been put into special measures to protect its residents, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said.

Manor Park Care Home in Castleford was inspected by the regulator in March and April after concerns were reported, and it was given an "inadequate" rating.

Linda Hirst from the CQC said poor leadership and a lack of staff had led to people being placed at risk of harm.

The home, run by Maria Mallaband Care Group (MMCG (CCH) Limited) said it was "deeply disappointed" by the outcome and added it "apologised unreservedly to residents, families and staff".

Manor Park, on Leeds Road in Cutsyke, provides nursing and personal care to up to 75 people, some of whom are living with dementia.

The CQC found people's basic care needs were not being met, with some residents looking unkempt and some being left alone in communal areas.

On one occasion, one person was left in the bath with nobody around to help them get out.

Inspectors were told by residents they were bored and felt there was a lack of activities and opportunities to go out, which affected their wellbeing and made them feel unhappy.

Ms Hirst, who is CQC deputy director of operations in the north, said: "People's relatives raised concerns that understaffing meant their loved ones weren't receiving safe or appropriate care.

"Staff had also raised concerns with leaders about unsafe staffing levels and felt they had not been listened to as the situation continued."

She added: "It's unacceptable that on several occasions, inspectors had to intervene and locate staff to assist people as nobody was available to support them.

"For example, one person was extremely distressed and shouting out continually for help, but staff didn't respond to them or take any action to alleviate their distress until inspectors intervened."

Following this inspection, the overall rating for the home has moved down from good to inadequate.

The CQC identified five breaches of regulation relating to safeguarding, safe care and treatment, staffing, person-centred care and how the service is managed.

The service has been placed in special measures which means it will be kept under close review by CQC to keep people safe and it will be monitored to check sufficient improvements have been made.

The CQC has begun the process of taking regulatory action to address the concerns which MMCG (CCH) Limited has the right to appeal.

A spokesperson for the care home said a number of "immediate steps" had been taken to address areas of concern, including around leadership, staffing levels and training.

They added: "Manor Park is committed to addressing all concerns raised as soon as possible and are working closely with the CQC and local authority.

"It will maintain regular contact with families, supported by clearer lines of communication and dedicated points of contact for any concerns – an approach that has already been well received.

"Our focus now is on delivering meaningful and sustained improvements, and on restoring confidence in the care we provide."

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.