Mount Vernon Terrace Care Home in Nottingham was found to be unsafe in the event of a fire and lacking proper maintenance according to a newly published report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Inspectors raised concerns about fire safety, cleanliness, and management practices, concluding that the home posed risks to residents' well-being. The care home has since acknowledged the report's findings and stated that significant improvements have been made to address the identified issues.
A Nottingham care home has been deemed unsafe in the event of a fire and little action had been taken following an enforcement notice served by Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service, according to a newly published report. Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission ( CQC ) found that Mount Vernon Terrace Care Home on Waverley Street was in breach of several regulations, including maintaining the building's safety through effective maintenance.
The CQC team reported that the home was 'unclean and unhygienic' and lacked effective management, concluding that these areas of concern 'place people at risk of harm'. Inspectors noted that 'minimal actions had been taken to achieve compliance (with the fire service enforcement notice). Corridors were narrow and not clear of all blockages, which would allow people to follow easy to read escape routes. Signage was challenging to read in corridors which had poor lighting.'The report further detailed that inspectors found 'some areas of the premises placed people at risk of injury, particularly those who were independently mobile. Wardrobes were not always attached to walls, bedroom furniture was damaged, and the toilet basins, cisterns and sinks in bathrooms were poorly maintained'. They also found that 'windows were able to be opened wide, due to the restrictors not being maintained. This safety feature should prevent people from falling or climbing out and is in line with guidance from the health and safety executive (HSE). The service was in a state of significant disrepair, meaning it was unsafe and unsanitary for people living there.'The CQC concluded that the environment was not being kept safe, by effective maintenance and refurbishment. While people had access to call bells for support, which were regularly checked, they were not positioned appropriately in people’s bedrooms, posing a risk that people would struggle to access this when they needed them. Electrical socket extension leads were overfilled, presenting a risk of fire and falls to people living with mobility needs. They concluded: 'All of the above left people exposed to a risk of harm from the poorly maintained environment.' The home was also criticized for being unclean and unhygienic. One resident told inspectors: 'The home is not cleaned properly. The registered manager has told the support staff they need to ensure the home is adequately kept cleaned. There are some residents who leave the toilets and bathrooms unclean, and staff are aware this happens but never take any action when this is reported to them.' Inspectors stated that due to the lack of maintenance, the service was unable to be effectively deep cleaned to ensure people were protected from the risk of infection.There was a lack of robust processes and policies in place, to ensure the environment was kept clean and hygienic. This placed people at risk of harm from the spread of infection. If an infection outbreak occurred (for example diarrhoea and vomiting), there was a lack of clear processes in place to reduce the risk of this spreading to other people at the service. They said: 'People were not encouraged to maintain their own personal cleanliness. We saw people who had ingrained, dirty fingernails, which presented an infection risk to themselves and others. We found concerns with the accuracy of documentation for people requiring 'as needed' medicines. Where people were prescribed medicines like paracetamol for occasional pain relief, we found variable doses were not accurately recorded.' The inspectors concluded that 'there was a lack of clear and effective governance, management and accountability arrangements at Mount Vernon Terrace' and the service was in breach of legal regulation as systems and processes failed to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service provided. They added: 'The directors had failed to significantly improve the living environment for people to reduce the risk from fire, infection risk and environmental hazards. The management team had a service improvement plan in place to improve people’s care provision at Mount Vernon Terrace. This plan had not made significant progress to ensure this was always safe and effective for people.'A spokesperson for the care home said the report, published a few days ago, reflects the situation three months ago. They added: 'It is important to note that this report does not reflect the current situation of the home, as we have since made drastic improvements to our service. 'Specifically fire safety and maintenance. Significant improvements and strides have been made to the building, and we are well on the way to ensuring full compliance.' The spokesperson said infection prevention and control processes have been enhanced to 'maintain high standards in this area, ensuring the safety and well-being of our residents and staff' and said changes to the management team are being implemented to improve leadership
CARE HOMES FIRE SAFETY INFECTION CONTROL NOTTINGHAM CQC HEALTHCARE STANDARDS
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