CQC rates Tyneside care home inadequate and places it in special measures

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated Ella McCambridge Care Home, in Walker, inadequate and placed it into special measures following an inspection in January.   

CQC’s unannounced inspection of the home, in Winslow Place in Walker, was prompted by concerns about people’s care and support, infection control and the management of the home. 

The residential care home was providing personal care for 47 people at the time of inspection. 

The home’s overall rating has dropped from good to inadequate following the inspection, its ratings for being safe, effective and well-led have also dropped from good to inadequate. The home’s ratings for being caring and responsive to people’s needs have dropped from good to requires improvement. 

The service is now in special measures, which means it will be kept under close review by CQC.  

Alison Chilton, CQC deputy director of operations in the north, said: 
 
“At the time of our inspection of Ella McCambridge Care Home, we found that the service wasn’t well-led, which was impacting on all areas of the care people who were living there received. Our experience tells us that when a service isn’t well-led, it is more unlikely they’re able to meet people’s needs in the other areas we inspect, which is what we found here.  

“However, a recent change in leadership at the home has left staff and relatives feeling more confident in its future. The new leaders are focused on improving training and overall standards of care.  

“At the time of inspection, we found risk assessments and records to ensure the safety of people using or visiting the service, weren’t up to date and didn’t fully reflect people’s needs. We also found these important documents didn’t provide enough guidance to staff on actions they should take to minimise risk to people. 

“People weren’t supported to make their own choices, live in the least restrictive way possible or in their best interests. This is unacceptable. 

“Following our inspection, we reported our findings to the provider so they know what they must address.  

“We will return to inspect the home. If sufficient progress has not been made, we’ll not hesitate to take further action to ensure people’s safety and wellbeing.” 

Inspectors found:  

• The home hadn’t fully assessed risks relating to the environment, people’s care and support and infection control to ensure the safety of people, staff and visitors.  
• People were not supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives. Staff did not always support them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests, and policies and systems in the service did not support this practice. 
• There were gaps in people’s care records which meant inspectors could not be assured care had been carried out as planned. Records did not always show how people were supported to eat and drink safely to meet their needs.  
• An effective system to ensure staff were suitably skilled and trained was not fully in place. Inspectors identified shortfalls in staff knowledge and skills in areas including care planning, risk assessment, medicines management, moving and handling and specialist feeding techniques. 
• Care plans did not fully reflect people’s needs or provide enough detail to describe what staff needed to do to ensure people’s needs and preferences were met. Inspectors observed bingo and other activities during the inspection, which people enjoyed. However, records and inspectors’ observations could not always demonstrate how the emotional and social needs of people living with dementia were met.  
• An effective system to monitor the quality and safety of the service, and ensure people achieved positive outcomes, was not in place. Inspectors found shortfalls in many areas of the service which had not been highlighted by the provider’s quality monitoring system.  
• Records were not available to demonstrate how the provider was meeting its responsibilities under the duty of candour.  

However:  

• The service’s leaders were open and honest during the inspection about the improvements that were required, and they were developing an action plan to address the issues identified. 

The report will be published on the CQC website in the next few days. 

Contact  

For media enquiries: 

• Helen Gildersleeve, Regional communications and engagement officer – 07825 939 328 - helen.gildersleeve@cqc.org.uk 
• Robyn Kelly, Regional communications and engagement officer – 07789 653 369 – robyn.kelly@cqc.org.uk 
• Angela Clark, Regional communications and engagement manager - 07821 682 509 – angela.clark@cqc.org.uk  
• Alternatively, you can email regional.comms@cqc.org.uk   

Journalists wishing to speak to the press office outside of office hours can find out how to contact the team on the website.  

Notes to Editors

You can read more on CQC's website about the current approach to inspections, including how services are currently monitored and regulated.  

CQC is listening to what people are saying about services to help detect any changes in care. If there is evidence people are at immediate risk of harm, CQC can and will take action to ensure that people are being kept safe.

CQC encourages people to give feedback as part of its 'Because we all care' campaign, and people can give feedback about their care to CQC via the details below.

1. Give feedback via the website
2. If you are deaf or hard of hearing the SignLive and text relay service enable you to give feedback in BSL or via the Relay UK app.
3. Telephone - 03000 616161 

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