Care home which didn't take injured woman to hospital for five days put in special measures

The failing was one of several at Rosehaven Residential Care Home, in Whitegate Drive, which has now been placed in special measures.

During a recent inspection, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) also found highly dependent people were left unattended for long periods of time, medicines were not given as needed, staffing was not always sufficient, and the needs of those with dementia were not met.

The home, for up to 24 older people, was rated inadequate and will now be kept under review.

The manager of the home says an action plan has been put in place following the report, and that the home had been ‘overwhelmed’ by the needs of patients at the time.

“One person who lived at the home had received an unexplained injury,” the CQC’s report said.

“Although an accident record was completed, the daily record did not report anything about this.

“Records were limited and there was no investigation into how this occurred.

“Although there was evidence of an injury the person was not taken to hospital until five days later. The person had received a fractured shoulder.

“Action had been taken about these incidents, although no notifications regarding the safeguarding or the serious injury were sent to the CQC, which the registered manager was required to do.”

It added: “People with high care needs were left unattended for long periods of time. This left staff unaware about their safety or well-being.

“There was limited interaction with people and we saw one person waiting over 10 minutes for a member of staff so they could request assistance to go to the toilet.

“We observed the care and support three people received for over six hours. They received no attention of stimulation other than meals.

“One person was intermittently shouting then sleeping, another person was clearly in discomfort, writhing and groaning intermittently.

“The other person sat passively or dozed. There was no music, no TV, no activity, and minimal interaction from staff.”

The CQC’s inspectors, who were told by residents and their families that staff were ‘caring and kind’, also looked at how medicines were prepared and given, and said some were not always given as prescribed or needed.

“Information about foods that adversely interacted with certain medicines were not recorded on MAR (medical administration record) sheets or nutritional care plans,” it said.

“Failing to give people their medicines properly placed the health and welfare of people at unnecessary risk.”

Spokeswoman Marion Gourlay said an action plan has now been put into place.

She said: “On the date the inspectors visited there were three ladies who had been with us for some time, and unfortunately their dementia had gone beyond our capabilities. They were immediately removed from the home to dementia-specialist homes.”

She also said the resident who broke her shoulder did not initially report feeling any pain.

She added: “All care homes across the country are expected now not to send people to hospital unless absolutely necessary. In retrospect it should have been looked at at the time but it was not.