Two questioned by police ove care home ‘neglect’

A MAN has been arrested over allegations of “ill-treatment or neglect” at a South Tyneside care home. A female manager at Hillcrest Care Home, in Wear Street, Jarrow, has also been suspended following a police investigation.

Council and health officials have also stepped up monitoring procedures at the privately-owned home and demanded improvements.

The news comes just days after the Gazette revealed that two staff have been arrested following the death of a pensioner at St Michael’s View care home in South Shields, where inquiries continue into 15 other deaths dating back to January 2009.

Families were called to a private meeting at Hillcrest last week, where they were briefed on the situation at the home, which cares for almost 50 elderly residents, including about 25 with varying degrees of dementia.

A spokesman for Northumbria Police said: “A 34-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of ‘ill- treatment or neglect’ under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Enquiries are ongoing.”

Owned by the Executive Care Group Ltd, Hillcrest is a purpose-built, two-storey building, with accommodation for 49 residents.

The complex includes a memory care unit, which specialises in dementia care.

A place at the home costs between £395 and £541 per week.

First registered as a care home in August 2001, Hillcrest was rated as “good” following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) last October.

A spokesman for the home said: “We are briefing relatives in an open and transparent manner to make them aware of why we have replaced the home’s manager.

“Concerns have been raised about various issues and we have taken assertive and proactive action.

“The wellbeing of our residents is of paramount importance and we have full confidence in the new management team to take the home forward and deliver excellent care.”

A South Tyneside Council spokesman said: “We are working in partnership with South Tyneside Primary Care Trust, as well as the owners of Hillcrest Care Home, Jarrow, in response to safeguarding issues at the privately-run home.

“This involves increased monitoring visits and these will continue until we are satisfied that there has been an improvement in the quality of care.”

A spokesman for the Care Quality Commission said: “At the end of June this year, we were made aware, by the Local Authority and the PCT, that they had received a high number of safeguarding notifications in respect of Hillcrest Care Home.

“The local authority had suspended admissions to the home.

During the visits on July 7 and 9, serious concerns were identified in relation to medications arrangements, care delivery, care planning and record keeping.

“A management review meeting was held on July 14 where it was agreed that two statutory requirement notices would be issued relating to medication and further inspections would be undertaken on July 20 and 21.

“The issues related to care delivery, care planning and record keeping.
“CQC has very serious concerns and believes that service users are being exposed to unnecessary risks. We will, as a matter of urgency, be monitoring the situation at the home and will be considering whether further enforcement action will be required.”