Care Home Boss Defends Inspection Report

A Leamington Spa care home has been criticised for failing to provide adequate services for 21 elderly people. Clarence House, in Warwick New Road, Leamington, was rated poor in many areas, including health and personal care, social activities and checks on staff, during an unannounced inspection. Officers from the Commission for Social Care Inspection said, in a report, that residents were not given access to menus and the food provided was not recorded. People were not offered alternative meals and any specialist dietary needs were not being taken into account.

The report added: “Therefore we cannot be sure residents’ needs are being met.”

Inspectors said there was no social and therapeutic stimulation and people did not have opportunity to pursue hobbies or to develop and participate in any new interests.

But registered manager Kanagasabai Sivasoruban said: “There is a problem in getting them motivated to participate. Sometimes they just like to sit there and do nothing and this is understandable.”

The home had one assisted bath, which is below the acceptable standards, and management of the medicine in the home had to improve to ensure the safety of the residents, according to the inspectors.

They also discovered the information relating to the people at the home and the maintenance of equipment was also disorganised and not easy to find.

The report added: “Greater effort is required to make sure residents have access to a full range of community health care professionals and resources, including, dental, sight and hearing checks.”

Staffing levels also fell below the standard necessary to meet the individual needs of those living in the home because there was an inadequate contingency to manage unplanned staff absences.

Mr Sivasoruban said he often had difficulties employing new staff. He added: “It is not the most well paid job in the world and a lot of them come here because it is suitable with their daily routine.”

He added that all staff background checks had now been completed.

The care home was praised for being clean and comfortable and the report said there was a warm and welcoming atmosphere in the home.

Mr Sivasoruban said some of the aspects of the report were fair but added: “They do not see the pratical aspects of it.”