Care house Posted in Special Measures

A care home where the needs of the patients are not “indeed and their voices were ignored” has been placed in special measures

Fernside Hall, in Halifax, was assessed as ‘insufficient’ after an inspection of a Care Quality Commission (CQC) in May and June, further than ‘good’ after the last audit in 2021.

The CQC said that the house, that supports 22 people, “closely monitors, while improvements are made to keep people safe”, and get a deadline to make changes.

Valorum Care Group, who runs Fernside Hall, has been approached for comment.

CQC inspectors discovered that the house was in conflict with four regulations with regard to security, safe care and treatment, personal care and good management of the service.

According to Linda Hirst, the deputy director of operations of the CQC in Halifax, they saw in one case witness that a person was in a wheelchair for more than an hour, “visibly sad and repeatedly screamed for help while the staff did nothing to support them”.

“It was only after a long period of need that the staff eventually moved the person and showed a lack of compassion and urgency in their care,” she said.

Inspectors also witnessed people who were mobile, were “repeatedly told to sit down” and blocked to leave the lounge.

“This is unacceptable in a place where people have to feel safe and free to make choices about their daily lives,” said Mrs. Hirst.

One person also received the wrong dose of medication for four days, without there being a system to prevent this again, the CQC said.

While the plans for the care of the end of the lifespan were present, inspectors said that gaps made sure that gaps took care of in the daily care reports of one person, “which meant that we could not be assured that the person needed the care and support they needed against the end of their lives”.

Mrs. Hirst said that the CQC had started taking “further regulatory action” against Valorum Care Group, but stopped giving more details.

She added: “We expect that health care providers for health care and social care would protect that the safety, dignity and human rights of people protect. It was unacceptable that this provider allowed a culture to develop where the needs of people undeveloped and their voices were ignored.”