Failing Littleport care home ordered to close

A care home is being shut down after continually failing to meet the needs of its residents. Littleport Grange nursing and residential home, in Littleport, was issued with a formal warning by health and social care watchdog, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in February.

Inspectors made unannounced visits to the home, in Grange Lane, in January and demanded its operator, Dove Care Homes, urgently improved care to residents.

But it claims it failed to heed those warnings and now its 36 residents are to moved out.

A joint statement from Cambridgeshire County Council,  Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust and NHS Cambridgeshire, said: “The county council, Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust and NHS Cambridgeshire have been monitoring and reviewing the provision of care to residents at Littleport Grange in recent months following concerns raised with the CQC.

“To ensure the safety and wellbeing of the residents we are working with families to find suitable alternative placements for each of the residents funded by the county council.

“As our safeguarding responsibilities extend to residents who are self-funders, we are also making contact with their relatives to discuss the situation.

“This decision has not been taken lightly and we recognise that relocation will be an unsettling experience for residents and their families. However, the welfare of residents within the home is of paramount importance to us.”

Inspectors found that care plans at the home were inaccurate, out of date and incomplete and some plans relating to nutrition were not being carried out correctly.

Dressings were not being changed at set times, so residents were at risk from infection.

Care charts did not state how often residents needed to be moved in bed, so they were often left longer than they should have been in one position.

A spokeswoman for the CQC said: “Following continued concerns regarding Littleport Grange, we are taking action to protect the interests of the people using the service, however the law does not allow us to go into further detail at this stage.

“We are continuing to work with our partner agencies in relation to this service which remains subject to the ongoing monitoring of compliance with the essential standards of care. We are also in contact with the provider.”

Nobody from the home was available to comment.