Glasgow care home fails to act on ‘serious concerns’

Sherbrooke Lodge Care Home in Glasgow must urgently improve the quality of care it provides, the Care Inspectorate has warned.

Inspectors found serious concerns last August and made 24 requirements for change.

However, after an unannounced follow up inspecton in February, Inspectors found that only two had been met, although there was some progress in other areas.

The quality of management and leadership had deteriorated even further, leading to the home being graded “unsatisfactory” or “weak” in all areas – the lowest two grades inspectors can award. The inspection report from this visit was published this week.

The Care Inspectorate has served a formal Improvement Notice on the home under Section 62 of the Public Services (Reform) Scotland Act, requiring improvements in staffing, nutrition, hydration and skin care.

After a monitoring visit, a further Improvement Notice was served to secure clarity on the roles of senior staff and directors.

Care inspectors have been working closely with the home and this week started a new, unannounced inspection to determine whether the required improvements have been made.

Dr Robert Peat, Director of Inspection, said: “We identified serious concerns about this care home last year but the required improvements have not been made. We identified a lack of urgency in the approach of the management team, with key areas not prioritised. Residents’ health and wellbeing were compromised as a result. We could not find evidence that there was adequate management and monitoring of the home.

“This was particularly concerning given the outcomes of the last inspection. We have therefore taken urgent action to support the home to improve and our inspectors are in the home this week.

“We are working closely with the local authority and health colleagues to support improvement but will not hesitate to take further action if improvement is not made and sustained quickly.

The home, which is run by Lambhill Court Ltd, had been graded as “very good” in all areas as recently as September 2010.

Lambhill Court Ltd operates four other care homes in Glasgow: Oakbridge and Cumbrae House in the city’s West End, Florence House in Govan, Lambhill Court in Kinning Park.

The inspection report is here: http://cinsp.in/1kL35wu