Mount Denys dementia care home failing on safety

Inspectors have demanded improvements at a council-run care home in Hastings after 70 recent cases of physical violence.

Most of the incidents at Mount Denys care home, which looks after elderly people with dementia, were between residents. Some were attacks on staff.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said Mount Denys was failing to protect safety and gave it 21 days to improve.

East Sussex County Council said it had taken action to improve standards.

Roxy Boyce, CQC regional director, said: “This warning notice sends a clear and public message Mount Denys needs to address these issues as a matter of urgency or face serious consequences.”

Mark Stainton, a spokesman for the council’s adult social care services, said: “We are sorry that we have failed to provide the quality of care that older people with dementia and their carers are entitled to and deserve.

“We would like to reassure families of residents at the home that we have learned some very valuable and important lessons from this inspection and as soon as we knew about these issues we took immediate action.”

CQC inspectors made an unannounced visit in July because of evidence of possible concerns.

Inspectors found there had been 44 incidents of violence between residents and 26 incidents of violence towards staff.

They found staff lacked the necessary skills and experience to effectively manage challenging behaviour from people living in the home.

East Sussex County Council said that since the inspection it had increased staff numbers, reviewed each resident’s needs, increased activities available to them, and improved the overall quality of care.