Care home under fire

Brierfields residential care home, Failsworth

A CARE home in Failsworth has been placed in special measures after officers found no manager and unsafe services.

Brierfields Residential Care, in Brierley Avenue, was branded inadequate, the lowest rating handed out by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), in the latest report.

The government watchdog said there were "a number of concerns" over the care home, operated by Masterpalm Properties, which lacked accountability and breached 11 regulations.

HR director Ian Marshall, on behalf of Brierfields, said: "The previous management team were not doing their job and we could not continue with our relationship.

"We have had a new manager with us for just over one month and she is making huge inroads."

Inspectors said in their report: "When we visited the service there was no registered manager in place.

"We identified nine breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, and two breaches of the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009.

"The home had not been managed well and this had led to a number of concerns.

"One care worker told us "All checks had gone, there was no accountability; we just had to get got on with it."

"The service did not have protective measures in place to ensure the safety of people who used the service."

A number of deaths, falls and hospital admissions had not been reported to the regulator and a DBS check for one care worker was missing, though the new manager agreed this worker would not be unsupervised until formal checks had been undertaken.

There were 25 residents in care at Brierfields and one person receiving day care at the time of the inspection on September 29.

A coronial investigation relating to an incident at the care home began prior to the inspection and enquiries are ongoing.

In their report, inspectors said: "We found a number of health and safety risks such as a broken shower chair with jagged edges.

"Although this was not being used it could cause a hazard, so we asked the manager to remove it, which she did."

However, medicine management, food provision and staff were praised in the findings, which were published on November 15.

Inspectors said: "People told us they felt safe.

"The new manager had prioritised staff supervision and begun a timetable of three-monthly supervision for all staff.

"There were sufficient staff and people who used the service were treated with respect and kindness by staff who knew them well."

One service user said: "The new manager is making a big difference and is seriously getting to grips with the home."

Brierfields will be kept under review and the provider is expected to make "significant improvements" before the next inspection in six months.

The report said: "If not enough improvement is made within this time-frame, we will take action in line with our enforcement procedures to begin the process of preventing the provider from operating this service."

Mr Marshall said: "I'm in total agreement with what they found.

"In the last 12 to 18 months the previous management were not doing their job and there was some bad practice.

"I terminated the employment of the manager of the home.

"The new manager is building a complete new team and doing an exceptional job."