Pendle nursing home deemed 'not safe' by independent inspectors

Inspectors from the CQC visited Andrew Smith House in Nelson, prompted in part by concerns received about the management of the service.

The damning report, published this week by the CQC, highlights a litany of failures at the home, which has 55 residents including people living with dementia.

During their visit to the home run by Stocks Hall Nursing and Care Group, inspectors witnessed a staff member ignoring requests for a person to go to the bathroom, and also noted that vulnerable people in their rooms were not being checked on regularly enough.

Concern was also raised by inspectors over the management of medication and staff training.

The home, in Marsden Hall Road North, was rated "inadequate" in its safety, effectiveness and leadership, while it was deemed to require improvement in its caring and responsiveness.

An excerpt from the inspection report states: "The service was not safe. A safeguarding referral was raised during the inspection, as we witnessed a staff member ignoring requests for a person to go to the bathroom.

"We observed other people being left wet and observed some unsafe moving and handling procedures. Some vulnerable people in their rooms were calling out for staff support and it was unclear how often staff were checking on them and re-positioning them.

"Medication not been managed safely and staff were not recruited safely. There were concerns around infection control and staff we observed were not wearing gloves and aprons.

"Staffing levels were low. Staff told us they felt under pressure and there was a lack of permanent nursing staff on the complex unit. Agency staff were supporting complex individuals on one to ones and did not have access to relevant information about the people’s needs."

Responding to the report, Sue Lace, the managing director of the Skelmersdale-based Stocks Hall group, said that a new manager had been appointed in October and had already rectified a number of issues raised.

She said: "Historically we've had problems in recruting the right manager but this has now been rectified. Our current manager is brilliant and is well down the road in rectifying a lot of the issues raised in the report.

"We are working very closely on action plans with Lancashire County Council and the Care Quality Commission who are supporting us in addressing the difficulties we've had."