Terrible failings uncovered at Blackpool care home

A shameful catalogue of failings at a Blackpool care home were today laid bare in a shocking report.
Government inspectors visited the Abbeydale Nursing Home, in South Shore, as patients were being moved out following a string of concerns over residents’ care and the way medicines were being managed.

And the report, produced by the Care Quality Commission, found the home, which specialised in dementia care, failed to hit the required standards in almost every area.

It reveals:

• How residents had not been given medication, leaving them in pain
• Evidence of a scabies outbreak at the home, with one resident found with “active scabies”.
• Evidence of ‘resident-on-resident’ abuse and abuse by a member of staff which went unreported to authorities.
• Residents’ money being placed in the company accounts, rather than separate accounts.

The report also reveals inspectors were even refused admission to the home when they turned up to inspect it in June.

Blackpool Council and the town’s Clinical Commissioning Group pulled its residents from the home after becoming concerned at the level of care.

One resident, whose 82-year-old father was transferred to a different home, said: “I was shocked.”

Amanda Turner’s 82-year-old father Joseph Turner was transferred from Abbeydale.

Amanda, from South Shore, said: “I was quite shocked to see about the problems with medication.

“The staff have let the residents down, their workmates down and the manager down, but most of all they’ve let themselves down.”

However, she also believes the home’s former manager Simon Crowther was doing his best to turn things round when it was closed down.

She said: “He really did try and he said he wanted a home to be proud of.”

Inspectors for the CQC say in their report the home on New South Promenade had failed to make significant improvements.

They found residents had not been given pain relief and other medication, leaving them in discomfort, and one person had not received an appropriate chiropody service resulting in “extremely overgrown toe nails.”

The report adds: “One person who had moved from Abbeydale the day before the inspection had active scabies, and untreated ringworm and another fungal infection.”

It says there was evidence of a recent scabies outbreak in the home.

The reports states there were allegations of “resident on resident” abuse and abuse by a member of staff which had not been reported to the authorities, and one service user had “unexplained injuries”.

The inspectors say when they arrived to carry out their inspection they were refused entry by staff and security at the front door.

Mr Crowther said he was unhappy with the way residents were being moved from the home so put on security, but eventually allowed access.

The report says: “On our arrival at Abbeydale we were initially refused entry by the security guard. This was despite explaining that it was an offence under the Health and Social Care Act.”

Health and social services were refused entry for a further two hours and restricted entrance over the next two days following the inspection.

It adds: “Staff were obstructive and unhelpful, working against the professionals moving people. They told us the providers had contacted relatives telling them that the move was seriously detrimental to their family member. This caused more distress to relatives.”

The inspectors also noted the home had not had a manager registered with the CQC since June last year. The only CQC standard the home met was staffing.

Coun Kath Rowson, Blackpool Council cabinet member for adult social care said: “While the CQC’s inspection is based on one day’s visit, the council had been closely and consistently monitoring the quality of care at the Abbeydale Nursing Home over a number of period of time.

“Improvements at the home were not being made at the rate that we would expect and for that reason we made the decision to serve a contract termination notice.”

The home is now closed.

Mr Crowther, said: “This (the report) was not a surprise to us. This was a turn-around project. The money was there and we were progressing but the local authority pulled the plug.

“There were major problems at the home and we had put an action plan in place, investing £800,000, to make it probably the best home the Fylde coast has ever seen.”