Darlington care home fined £4,000 by CQC

St Martin’s Care Ltd has been issued with a fixed penalty notice by CQC for failing persistently to comply with national standards on the safe management of medicines.

The care provider has been fined £4,000. CQC issued the fixed penalty notice after concerns identified at Willow Green Residential Care Home, Darlington, County Durham had not been addressed properly for three months.

The nursing home received two unannounced inspections in February 2012, after which the registered provider, St Martin’s Care Ltd, was formally informed that it would face legal action.

Inspectors found that the nursing home was failing to ensure that people were protected against the risks associated with the unsafe use and management of medicines.

The provider was told that it must make urgent improvements.

During the second unannounced inspection in May 2012, inspectors found that people were still at risk. Willow Green Residential Care Home had made some improvements, but the provider still did not have appropriate arrangements in place to manage medicines.

Inspectors found that people still did not have all their medicines at the times they needed them in a safe way.

Some residents were not able to receive their medicines as prescribed because the medication was out of stock.

Inspectors reported that records were inaccurate or incomplete, medicines were not always given to people appropriately, and staff had failed to follow the directions of the prescriber or the manufacturer.

CQC issued a fixed penalty notice which St Martin’s Care Ltd has accepted and paid.

Following CQC’s intervention, St Martin’s Care Ltd has now taken action to achieve compliance. A report of its latest inspection, in November, has been published on the CQC website.

Malcolm Bower-Brown, CQC’s director in the North said: “It is a provider’s legal duty to ensure that it has appropriate arrangements in place to manage medicines in a safe way.

“Earlier this year we received concerns about the safe management of medication at Willow Green. In response, we inspected the home and warned St Martin’s Care that they must make urgent improvements.

“It was a matter of great concern that three months later we found that residents of Willow Green were still not receiving medication properly, in line with legal requirements.

“The law sets out national standards that everyone who uses services should be able to expect. Providers have a duty to ensure they meet these standards. Our decision to fine this provider sends a clear and public message that persistent failure to meet national standards will not be tolerated.

“Although the provider has now taken action to achieve compliance, we will keep Willow Green under review to ensure that the improvements we have found in our most recent inspection are sustained. We will not hesitate to take further action if necessary to ensure residents receive the service they are entitled to expect.”

Willow Green is registered as a nursing home with accommodation for up to 63 people.

CQC can serve a penalty notice under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, when a registered person has failed to comply with certain requirements of the Act or regulations, and CQC consider that swiftly achieving compliance without beginning lengthy and costly proceedings is a realistic alternative to prosecution.