Fylde Care Home Probe Dossier To Prosecutors
AN investigation into conditions at a Fylde care home has ended. Police have passed evidence from their probe into Milbanke Care Home, Kirkham, to the Crown Prosecution Service, which will decide if any charges need to be brought.
Complaints
The investigation into the Station Road home, run by Lancashire County Care, was sparked nearly three months ago after complaints.
No details have been given as to the nature of the allegations.
Det Insp Tony Baxter from Blackpool Police said: “We have concluded our investigation and interviewed all members concerned.
“A file has gone to the CPS for their consideration. They will make a decision as to whether any of the findings constitute a criminal offence and whether anyone should be prosecuted.”
Four of the home’s staff were suspended during the inquiry and the matter was reported to the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI).
It carried out an unannounced inspection at the home in June and sprung another random visit in October.
The CSCI rated Milbanke, which provides accommodation for those over 55, often with dementia or mental health problems, as “adequate”, giving the facility one out of three stars.
The October visit focused on handling medicines. An earlier report had highlighted “serious shortfalls” in that area.
Between an inspection in August 2007 and June this year, six complaints were received by the home and one received by CSCI.
The report said all were resolved.
The team visiting the home, which has space for 44 residents, in October, found there were some improvements but inspectors said there were at least three occasions when staff missed giving medication.
On another occasion one person’s medication was used on someone else “because there was no stock available”.
Inspectors observed that medicine charts were not always complete and that this could lead to “serious mistakes”.
