Nursing home facing possible closure after shocking CQC report

Ashbourne House Nursing Home in Middleton could be forced to shut down after a surprise CQC inspection rated the home as "inadequate" and “unsafe” for patients.

The report specifically says that the vulnerable patients are “not protected from the risk of abuse” and that the management and recording of medicines was “not safe.”

The unannounced visit from the CQC (Care and Quality Commission) followed previous inspections from February where four breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 were discovered.

The most recent inspection reports that service at the Middleton nursing home is “not safe”, “not responsive” and “not always caring” – with a threat of enforcement procedures to have the business closed for good if there are not improvements in the next six months.

According to the report, staff had not received all the necessary training and opportunities for development "essential" to their role, to help ensure the current and changing needs of people could be met in a safe and consistent way.

The programme of redecoration and refurbishment had yet to be completed. Fabrics, such as bedding were worn and in need of replacing.

The report read: “People's health and welfare was placed at risk as the management and recording of medicines was not safe. Areas of risk to people's health had been identified and planned for.

“However, due to incomplete or inaccurate records it was unclear if appropriate action had been taken for those people at risk of choking.”

It continued: “Services placed in special measures will be inspected again within six months. If insufficient improvements have been made such that there remains a rating of inadequate for any key question or overall, we will take action in line with our enforcement procedures to begin the process of preventing the provider from operating the service.”

In a summary of the visit, it read: “At our last inspection the provider could not demonstrate that appropriate action had been taken to address the work required to the main electric circuits. Further requests for this information were made, however no evidence was provided to show the system was now safe and people were protected from harm or injury.

“Recruitment checks were made when appointing new staff. However, we again found the provider and registered manager had not gathered robust information to check the suitability of applicants as outlined in the internal policy and procedure. A recommendation made at our last inspection had not been acted upon.”

As part of the inspection, the CQC contacted the local authority and adult social care team along with local authority commissioners over concerns about the nursing care within the home.

• Overall rating for this service: Inadequate 
• Is the service safe? Inadequate 
• Is the service effective? Requires Improvement 
• Is the service caring? Requires Improvement
• Is the service responsive? Requires Improvement
• Is the service well-led? Inadequate

Liz McInnes, MP for Heywood and Middleton, said: "The CQC report is utterly shocking.

"This latest report sets out a litany of failings, and makes it clear that the home’s response to previous calls for improvement has been woefully inadequate.

"I am grateful to the CQC for their work, and questions must now be asked as to how this home was allowed to continue to operate in this manner.

"I am absolutely disgusted and immediate action must now be taken."

Now under new management, a spokesperson for Ashbourne House said that “serious steps” are under way to turn the place around.

She added: “There are regular meetings with the local authority and we are working very hard to make sure Ashbourne House is improving. We are on the up now, and we are making big changes.

"There will be an event in the summer where the press and families will be invited here to see the work that is being done.”

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