Inadequate rating for Bradford Care Home

A press release from The Care Quality Commission (CQC) that was published today states that they have told Shakespeare Court Care Home in Bradford, Yorkshire that it must make improvements or face further enforcement action.

During an unannounced inspection in August, inspectors found that the home, operated by Handsale Limited, was failing to provide care which was safe, effective, caring, responsive or well led. A full report of this inspection has been published on the CQC website today.

Under CQC’s new programme of inspections, all adult social care services are being given a rating to help people choose care. Overall Shakespeare Court Care Home has been rated as Inadequate.
CQC has issued the provider with three formal warning notices setting a deadline for improvements in relation to standards of cleanliness and infection control, care and welfare, and the assessment and monitoring of service quality. The report identifies a number of areas in which improvements are required:

• People were not protected from the risk of infection because they were not cared for in a clean, hygienic environment.
• There were not enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff to fully meet people's needs or ensure their safety.
• Care and treatment was not planned and delivered in a way that ensured people's safety and welfare. People’s care needs were not always assessed and care plans were not being updated to reflect people’s changing needs.
• People who required assistance to eat and drink at mealtimes were not being sufficiently supported by staff, and inspectors found that appropriate action was always taken following identification of the risk of malnutrition.
• Inspectors saw caring interactions between staff and people living in the home, however they also observed occasions when people were not treated with dignity or respect
• The home was failing to effectively monitor the quality of service being provided and accidents and incidents were not thoroughly analysed to identify trends and put actions in place to prevent reoccurrence.
• Inspectors found evidence of a number of safeguarding incidents having occurred at the home that had not been notified to CQC as required by law.

Debbie Westhead, Deputy Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care in the North said:

“We have told Shakespeare Court Care Home that they must take action to protect the health, safety and welfare of the people who live there.

“Although our inspectors saw some caring interactions between staff and people living in the home, the substandard infection control practices, insufficient staffing levels and poor care delivery need urgent attention.

“We have made it clear that we will return to the home to check that the necessary improvements have been made. If not - we will take further action to make sure that people living there receive care which is safe, effective, caring and responsive to their needs.”

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