No Star Rating For Nottinghamshire Care Home

AN Ollerton care home has received the lowest possible score after a series of recent inspections found staff were not correctly qualified to work.

Ollerton Manor Care Home received a zero star rating in two successive inspections conducted by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI), which regulates adult social care in public and private sectors across the country.

The report – published following two unannounced inspections in November and December – found that a number of employees at the Wellow Road home failed to have the correct background checks and employment information necessary to work, including Criminal Records Bureau checks and Protection of Vulnerable Adults qualifications.

Following the first visit, the report stated that out of four employees:

    * One staff member had no CRB check, POVA certificate, proof of identification or photographic ID. Inspectors also found an application form dated 27th December 2008, which stated the start of employment as 18th March 2008.

    * Another had no reference relating to a background in social care, no CRB check, POVA certificate and illegible photo ID

    * A third had no contract of employment, POVA certificate, CRB check, photo ID or employment history

    * A final employee did have the correct CRB certification, but had no proof of identification or photo ID.

Staff without correct CRB checks or qualifications were also found to have been left working unsupervised on night shifts at the home, while qualified staff acted as ‘sleepers’ — who would only attend if they were called upon.

During the second unannounced inspection, inspectors again found that staff records were out of date and no proof could be provided that staff training had taken place.

The report said: “Files showed that staff have not received sufficient training to ensure they can fulfil the aims of the home and meet the changing needs of people.”

Although the manager told inspectors that the training would be starting in January, there was no evidence available to support this.

Other problems cited in the inspection report included:

    * A member of staff on duty at the time of the inspection had no POVA certification or recent CRB check.

    * Staff supervision and appra-isals had not been taking place at the home.

    * No system was in place to ensure that the number of staff employed was sufficient for the number of residents at the home.

The report did find, however, that amendments had been made to downstairs toilet facilities to help wheelchair users at the home — and that the cleanliness had been improved.

Residents also praised staff at the home, claiming that the care they were given was very efficient.

The home’s acting manager, Dr Sudaram Rai, said he and his colleagues were now looking to use the reports to help improve the facility.

He said: “The reports have focussed a lot on the administrative side of things and that is something we will be working on.

“There was not a lot of criticism relating to the actual care side of things and that is how these things can quite often work — you can have a home that cares for its residents adequately, but if the administration lets it down you get a poor rating.

“We’ve had a lot of changes in management over the past few years so it has made it very hard to gather all of the information required for the inspection. We will now be hoping to improve on all the issues raised in the report.”