Drovers Call Care Home Placed under Special Measures - An Inspection by CQC Reveals
A Gainsborough-based care home, Drovers Call, has recently been subject to special measures by the CQC (Care Quality Commission) after a thorough evaluation exposed multiple failures in care. The 60-bed care facility that offers diverse care services such as nursing, dementia and palliative care, was branded as 'totally unacceptable' by the healthcare regulator.
Reasons for Urgent Inspection
The decision to inspect was incited mainly due to incoming reports of potential misuse of restrictive measures, flawed mental capacity evaluations, issues with the information systems and weak leadership at Drovers Call Care Home. As several violations came to light during the inspection, urgent restrictions were imposed on the provider's registration.
CQC Report Reveals Failures in Care
The care home is now under special measures, ensuring closer supervision to protect the residents and a re-inspection to confirm if sufficient enhancements have been implemented. Amanda Lyndon, Deputy Director of Operations in the Midlands for CQC, shared her disappointment at the results of the inspection.
"When we inspected Drovers Call, we were disappointed to find a deterioration in the standard of care people were receiving", Lyndon stated. She acknowledged the lack of effective leadership resulted in the decreased quality of care. Reports of a 'closed culture' where restraints were overused were also alarming. "The standard of care people were receiving at Drovers Call was unsafe, undignified, and totally unacceptable," added Lyndon.
Specific Failures Identified in the Report
- The service failed to offer protection from poor care and potential abuse.
- The staff's failure to recognise, record and report incidents led to suffering and poor care results for residents.
- There was inadequate risk management. The absence of support plans and effective assessments meant that residents' needs were neither identified nor fulfilled properly.
- Staff shortage was evident, with an over-reliance on agency staff exacerbating the risk of inconsistent care.
- The principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) were not fully adhered to, which impeded the provisions for residents to have maximum control of their lives.
No comment has been made by the Drovers Call care home in response to the inspection outcome.