Inspectors from the Quality of Care Committee (CQC) said the Lawns Care Home on Ridsdale Road was unclean and staffing issues affected the quality of care. Issues were also identified with the lack of sufficient staff to maintain the sanitary service and problems with the way medicines are administered. The house, which had previously been rated as good, was downgraded to “inadequate” and is in special measures. The CQC reported problems with leadership and home culture, while care records were not always up to date and there were mixed comments about the atmosphere inside the home. Read more: Call for a burglar in the Haughton-le-Skerne social club Some people who needed a low-sugar diet were not always given one – with one person eating cookies, jams and desserts regularly. However, people told staff they liked the staff and felt safe, the CQC said. Following the inspection in February, the Burlington Care provider implemented an action plan to address concerns about medicines, the environment, risk assessments, and people’s nutritional and hydration needs. Alison Chilton, head of CQC Adult Social Care Inspection, said: “When we inspected The Lawns Care Home, we found a service where the level of care had deteriorated since our last inspection. The needs of people’s safety and well-being were not met, understaffing caused bad morale and risks were not dealt with effectively. “People told us that staffing issues affected the quality of care they provided. They worked hard and wanted to spend more time supporting people, but they were very busy. This also affected the cleanliness of the service and we saw several dirty areas that needed deep cleaning, such as bathrooms, bedrooms and clinic rooms. “It is unacceptable that people did not always take their prescription drugs which could put them at serious risk of harm. Medicines were not stored safely and the refrigerator containing temperature-critical medicines was not set to the correct temperature. Inventory measurements showed discrepancies between what was administered, which means we could not be sure that people were receiving the right medication at the right time. “It was disturbing that loose tablets were found in medicine carts all over the house, which could easily be picked up and swallowed by mistake. Inspectors also found a tablet on the floor in an area where people with dementia lived and this could have harmed them if they swallowed it. “Immediately after the inspection, the provider implemented an action plan to address the concerns identified, to minimize the risk and to ensure the safety of the people using the service. Leaders must now ensure that these urgent improvements continue to be made and sustained. “We will continue to monitor The Lawns Care Home closely to ensure that people are safe. “If we are not sure that people are receiving safe care, we will not hesitate to take further action.” Relatives of the patients reported that the staff “fell from their feet” and “under a lot of stress”. The inspectors found:

Kitchen staff, care workers, and caregivers did not have accurate and up-to-date knowledge of people’s nutritional and nutritional needs. People who needed a low-sugar diet did not always get this. A person on this type of diet regularly ate cookies, jams and desserts. Risks to humans were not always assessed, monitored and managed properly. There were no diabetes care plans or risk assessments for people diagnosed with this condition. Incidents of provocative behavior were not properly recorded. No possible actions or issues were analyzed and the potential impact on others who used the service was not taken into account. Body maps did not exist for creams and lotions. This meant that it was not always clear where they should be administered. The staff was not always properly developed. During the inspection, it was noted in at least three cases that there was no staff in one of the smaller units in the house.

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