Care home in Mansfield still unsafe for residents and could be closed down for good

Ashdale Care Home at The Park, off Park Avenue, was slapped with the rating last September when the Care Quality Commission (CQC) uncovered “serious risks” that threatened the safety of residents.

As a result, all 16 residents were moved out of the home to alternative accommodation by Nottinghamshire County Council and the NHS.

Now the CQC has returned to Ashdale, which is run by the Derby-based company, Isys Care Ltd, for a targeted inspection. However, there was no evidence that the home had rectified its shortfalls.

The inspectors said: “This service has been in special measures since our last report. During this inspection, the provider (Isys) did not demonstrate that improvements have been made. Therefore, the home remains in special measures.

"The maximum time for being in special measures will usually be no more than 12 months.

"We will re-inspect within six months to check for significant improvements. If there is still a rating of ‘Inadequate’, we will take action in line with our enforcement proceedings.

"This means we will begin the process of preventing the provider from operating this service.”

Ashdale normally provides care for up to 22 adults aged 65 and over, including some with physical disabilities.

There are still no residents in situ, so the CQC inspectors could not seek their views or those of relatives.

However, they discovered that the home was still not safe if any residents did move in. Indeed, they would be at risk of falling seriously ill through Legionnaires’ disease because Isys had “not completed routine water maintenance”.

The home’s fire alarm was faulty, the heating system was “not effective” and there was “no suitable equipment for residents at risk of falling out of bed”.

The inspectors’ report went on: “We were not assured staff were adequately trained, and staff did not have clear care-plan guidance on how to support residents.

"In fact, the provider was not even able to provide a clear list of employed staff names, their recruitment details or what training they had received.”

On leadership at Ashdale, the CQC found there had been no registered manager in place since the previous one left last June.

"The provider did not have a clear action plan to describe what its ongoing plans are,” the report continued.

"It had implemented new policies, but these policies lacked detail. Clear governance structures have not been implemented.

"At the last inspection, we identified serious risks to residents’ safety. At this inspection, we were not assured that if people began to use the service, the current management would ensure improved and safe care.

"We will now request an action plan from the provider to understand what it will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and the local council to monitor progress.”

The county council says it has now terminated its contract with Ashdale because Isys had “failed in its duty to uphold safe standards of care”.

The sole active director of Isys Care, according to Companies House, is 71-year-old care manager Icilda Holness-Sears.

However, when the Chad tried to contact Isys, through the care home, no-one was available for comment.