Owner of Walthamstow care home hits back following CQC’s report

A care home has been slammed by the Care Quality Commission after a random inspection was carried out earlier this year.

The Grove in Walthamstow was criticised after inspectors found that correct procedure had not been followed when residents were in danger.

An inspector said: “We looked at the records of the accidents and incidents. There were two incidents where physical abuse had happened.

“Although the registered manager took steps to resolve the situation and manage the risks, the response was not in line with the service’s safeguarding policy.

“The correct procedure would have been to contact the police and/or the local authority’s safeguarding adults team, which did not happen.”

The Grove Road care home, a specialist mental health care facility, was also criticised for the way in which staff handled accident reports.

An inspector said: “We looked at the accident and incident reports.

“We found that none of the follow-up actions were appropriately recorded or evidenced, therefore it was unclear whether the incidents had been analysed properly and whether all appropriate actions had been taken.”

Aidan Spence, 50, who owns the home, defended his staff and premises and said that it was merely paperwork problems which led to the unsatisfactory report.

He said: “Anyone who visits our place, any relatives, can see what good care we provide.

“The report reads in an awful light but all that happened is that a copy of the paperwork was not passed onto the social worker.

“I don’t feel that we have done anything wrong other than not dotted a few Is and crossed a few Ts.

“It just seems ridiculous, but I know that it is my duty to correct it and make sure that it doesn’t happen again.”

Mr Spence, who has worked in mental health care since the age of 19, says that people have no need to be concerned about relatives in his care.

Inspectors from the health and social care regulator found that the home was meeting national standards in respect, staffing and in meeting residents’ individual care needs.