THE husband of resident at an under-fire care home has spoken passionately in its defence after the publication of a damning inspection report.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has this week labelled Rockley Dene as inadequate and placed it into special measures, but Gordon Pascall, 87, said the report is not painting a true picture of the home.
He said: “Since my wife has started living at Rockley Dene I have spent 2,500 hours at the home. That works out at five hours every day, I believe that gives me the ability to have a better overview on the care given than the CQC’s two-day report.
“I have spoken to the CQC and given them my points.
“For example in the report they have heavily criticised the activities manager. They have backed up this by asking residents their opinion of the activities.
“My wife has Alzheimer’s and would be unable to answer this question.
“Also no one came to speak to me. Lastly, I agree that the home has had a period with inadequate management and loss of first class care workers but the home is full of top class care workers and subsidised by agency workers who aren’t passionate because they are gone after their shifts and it is the core care workers who get it in the neck.”
Gordon said that the report has not highlighted enough the care that his wife receives.
He said: “I don’t see Rockley Dene as a business.
“It is my wife’s home and I know that the care workers do their damnedest to make her as comfortable as possible.
“I wouldn’t leave my wife there if I thought the facilities were inadequate, but I am there five hours a day 365 days a year. I just wish they had spoken to me before making their report.”
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CONCERNS over lack of staff training, unsafe management of medicines and not safeguarding people from abuse has led the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to put a care home in Worsbrough in special measures.
A CQC inspection report on Rockley Dene Nursing Home has identified the care home as inadequate.
The unannounced inspection took place on August 29 with an organised follow up on September 6, and the CQC is currently considering the appropriate regulatory response to resolve the problems found.
The report says: “At this inspection we found people were unlawfully deprived of their liberty and consent and capacity was not consistently recorded. Individual risks to people had not been properly assessed and fire safety was not effectively managed.
“The storage and records relating to the management of medicines were not safe.
“There were insufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff deployed to meet people’s needs effectively. Staff had not received appropriate induction support, training, supervision and appraisal as is necessary to enable them to carry out the duties they are employed to perform.
“Records relating to people’s care needs were not adequately recorded. Detailed records of responses to complaints had not been maintained.
“There were continued breaches of the regulations and there was insufficient leadership and oversight.”
The inspector was told during the second day of the visit that an agency nurse had fallen asleep while on shift.
The inspector was told that Rockley Dene will de-register from nursing care and run the home providing residential care only.
The registered manager and deputy manager of the facility left the business weeks prior to the inspection.
The report continues: “At the time of our inspection, we were made aware the registered manager had resigned from their position a week before we visited.
“The registered provider made us aware they were in the process of appointing a new home manager.
“The deputy manager had left several weeks earlier, which meant the home was without management support. On day two of our inspection, a clinical lead who was a nurse with managerial experience had started working in the home and had taken day-to-day responsibility for leading the staff team.”
The CQC confirmed that due to level of concern at the home, Barnsley Council had been visiting on a daily basis to check on the care provided and ensure shifts were fully staffed.
Inspectors also highlighted some positive observations. “We saw staff encouraging people to eat and drink and people were offered second helpings.
“When staff were supporting people to eat this was done with patience and sensitivity. Some people had been provided with plate guards to help them eat independently.
“We also heard staff encouraging people to be independent.
“For example, one staff member said to the person they were supporting, ‘do you want to try yourself? I’ll stay here in case you need help’. Most people finished their meals and said they enjoyed the food.”
A spokesperson for Rockley Dene said: “The well-being of our residents, caring for them with kindness and respect and treating them with dignity remains our utmost priority. The service has been operated successfully for a number of years by its former and current owner.
“Despite the concerns raised by CQC about the service during inspection, it states that staff encouraged people to eat and drink and people were offered second helpings. CQC found that the home supported its residents to be independent in relation to mobilising in their home.
“CQC found the home to be clean and, for the most part, free of unpleasant odours. Staff were observed to be patient, supportive and encouraging.
“Although our residents have expressed their happiness in staying at Rockley Dene, we recognise the need for our recording systems to be improved.
“These gaps have been identified and a new management team, including experienced external consultants, has been tasked to implement changes accordingly.
“New systems are being introduced and we are working closely with CQC, the local authority and multidisciplinary professionals to implement the changes. Relatives of our residents continue to place their trust in the home.”
