The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has issued a care home in Crumpsall, in Greater Manchester, with a formal warning to improve its standards or it could face further action.
A CQC inspection report included that the residents of the Homeleigh facility are potentially being put “at risk” by lapses in the standards of care provided to them. Of particular concern to inspectors was the management of medicine, as multiple errors were uncovered in the way staff recorded the medicine administered to residents in the space of a month.
In the report, CQC inspectors explain their findings:
“We found there was an inconsistent approach by staff as to whether to give medicines late or not at all and when to record medicines as being ‘refused’.
“This meant people were at risk because medicines were not being administered consistently and in line with GP advice.”
A formal improvement notice has been issued to the Southfield Care Homes group which runs Homeleigh. This requires improvements to be made to the systems for dispensing and recording medicine, as well as care training for staff on medicine management. If the home fails to improve, it could be prosecuted and possibly even closed.