Fulwood care home where door handles were stained with 'faecal matter' still needs improving for a third time

On two previous occasions over a period of three years Banksfield Nursing Home had been placed in special measures and deemed as requiring improvement after walls and door handles were found 'stained with faecal matter' and two elderly residents were harmed in an incident unwitnessed by staff. Inspections carried out by health watchdog Care Quality Commissions (CQC) found residents were also at risk of choking, malnutrition and dehydration, following complaints from both relatives and staff.

The diet and fluid intake of residents was 'not consistently monitored and nutritional risk assessments were not always carried out which placed elderly residents at risk of becoming malnourished. Staff did not notice that one person lost 1.4kilograms of weight over the 15 day period. Another resident had not been weighed for three months and those with dementia could have choked as they were not always supervised during mealtimes. Systems in place to manage and oversee people's medicines we also found to be unsafe which placed them at risk of harm.

‘We could not be assured people were safe from the risk of choking’

In the most recent inspection on November 2022 carried out at the care home which provides dementia and nursing care for up to 42 people aged 65 and over, the report published in December detailed that, while rated as good in the effective, caring and responsive aspects, requirement was still needed in the safe and well-led areas. At the last inspection the provider did not have systems that were adequately established to ensure the safe use of medicines which had still made no headway at the recent inspection.

The report read: "Not enough improvement had been made at this inspection as people's drinks were not always made correctly, therefore we could not be assured people were safe from the risk of choking. The recorded quantities of medicines in the home were not always correct, therefore we were not assured people were having their medicines as prescribed”.

Topical preparations were not always stored safely, nor were waste and unwanted medicines in line with current guidance. Plans to support staff with the safe administration of 'when required' medicine were not always person centred and did not always include all information to guide staff how to support the person. In the well-led aspect the care home fell short once again and remained as requiring improvement as “systems for the recording and oversight of medicines had not been established sufficiently to ensure using medicines in the home were managed safely" which placed people at risk of harm.

It was noted however that people informed the health watchdog they felt safe in the home, with one person saying: "I spend most of my time in bed and I feel very safe." Relatives also said they were confident staff kept people safe. Staff had completed training in safeguarding people from abuse.

With enforced conditions for the care home, a follow up has also been earmarked and the CQC have said they will continue to monitor information received about the service, which will help inform then when they next inspect.