Care home where residents 'at risk' put in special measures

Anson Court Residential Home in Harden Road, Bloxwich, has been rated inadequate by the Care Quality Commission after its latest inspection.

At the time of the inspection in March, 32 people lived at the home and received support with personal care from the service.

In the report the CQC said care plans lacked information.

It said: “One person’s care plan stated fluids should be ‘stage one syrup consistency’, this was not always followed by staff. This meant that people were exposed to risk of choking.”

The report added: “We found that people were experiencing multiple falls, which places people at unnecessary and unmanaged risk of serious injury.”

The service was rated ‘inadequate’ in two areas, and ‘requires improvement’ in three.

Moving and handling equipment was observed by inspectors not being used safely during their visit, according to the report.

It added: “We saw the technique used for slide sheets and safety checks for wheelchair use were ineffective.

“The movement of people was not effectively planned, we saw that safe working areas were not created prior to the use of hoists. This placed people at risk of harm.”

Also, people were not always getting their medicine as prescribed and medication storage was “not consistently safe”.

"We saw prescribed drinks, liquid medicines and equipment used in administration, including medicine cups, spoons and syringes, were not safely secured," the report added.

"People were seen to touch and handle the items, unseen by staff. This places people at risk of harm."

At two previous inspections, in October 2016 and October 2017, the home was rated as ‘requires improvement’ by the CQC.

But residents told inspectors they felt safe and staff knew the correct procedure to protect people from risk of abuse.

And relatives and staff told inspectors that there were enough staff to meet people's need.

Anson Court Residential Home has been contacted for a comment.