Care home in Kirkby branded 'Inadequate' by CQC after death of service-user

Richmond Lodge, which houses five adults with learning disabilities, has also been placed in special measures and handed three warning notices.

It must now come up with an action plan that brings about improvements, or it could face closure.

The unannounced inspection was carried out in August by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), whose report said it was “prompted, in part, by an incident in which a person who used the service died”.

This led to “concerns about the management of risk” at the home.

The inspectors did not investigate the circumstances of the death. But they found that the home was not following best practice and was putting residents “at risk of avoidable harm” by not having robust systems in place.

Debbie Ivanova, the CQC’s director for people with learning disabilities and autism, said: "The standard of care had deteriorated since our previous inspection in December, 2019 when the home was rated ‘Good’.

"Residents’ safety and wellbeing needs weren’t always being met, and risks weren’t effectively managed.

"For example, some residents had autism, but the home had not considered their sensory needs or any specific routines they may have.

"Autistic people can find certain lighting, sounds, smells, textures and tastes overwhelming, so it’s important this gets addressed.

"Residents’ support plans didn’t set out their long-term aspirations or goals, and there was no data about how people were progressing with their hobbies, interests or daily living achievements.”

The CQC report also highlighted worries about safety that residents had, especially during evenings, because there were no lights in the car park.

Mrs Ivanova said: “In addition, the gate and front door were left open for a long period of time during our inspection. This could lead to people going out of the service without the support they need.

"We will continue to monitor Richmond Lodge closely to ensure residents are safe. If we are not assured they are receiving safe care, we will not hesitate to take action.”

As well as being ranked ‘Inadequate’ overall, the home received the same rating in three individual categories, revealing that the home was not safe, not effective and not well-led.

Positives in the CQC report related to the support and supervision for staff, who felt able to raise concerns with managers, and also the way in which residents were helped at times of distress. They were referred to specialists and health professionals, while relatives were always informed of any problems.

Richmond Lodge is a private home run by Blue Sky Care Ltd, which is based at Sherwood Business Park in Annesley. The company operates a number of residential homes and also supported living services for adults with learning disabilities.

At the time of the inspection, there was no registered manager in post at Richmond Lodge.

In response to the CQC verdict, Blue Sky Care’s managing director, Richard Miller, said: “We are disappointed by the external regulator’s assessment.

"As a service, we would have addressed any risks previously if these had been identified.

"For a service previously rated ‘Good’, we wish to return to that status and beyond as quickly as is practical.

"We respect the assessment and will work in partnership with the commission, our local authority and, most importantly, the people we support, their families and the staff team to achieve our goal.”