‘Inadequate’ care home slammed after patient suffers more than 20 falls
Vanda Thorpe's (inset) family say the 95-year-old has suffered 26 unwitnessed falls at the Norwich care home - Credit: Submitted/Getty
Families are desperate to pull elderly relatives out of a care home downgraded to ‘inadequate’ after inspectors uncovered problems with medication and PPE.
Care Quality Commission (CQ) inspectors have raised safeguarding concerns with Norfolk County Council after the unannounced inspection at Mayflower Court in Ladysmock Way, Bowthorpe, between June 1 and June 11 this year.
A Mayflower Court care home corridor when it opened around 2016 - Credit: Copyright: Archant 2016
The 80-bed home, which specialises in dementia care and is run by NorseCare, was previously rated as 'good' in July 2018.
After the summer inspection it was deemed 'inadequate' in areas including safety and leadership.
Findings in the report included:
1. People did not always receive their medicines safely, and systems and oversight measures for medicines were not effective. This placed people at the risk of harm.
2. Where people did not take their medicines as prescribed, this was not always escalated and communicated effectively.
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3. Personal protective equipment (PPE) was not stored safely or correctly, with loose aprons and exposed gloves stored in communal bathrooms, on top of lockers and near soiled laundry baskets.
4. Some relatives described a poor standard of cleanliness when visiting people.
5. While some relatives had no concerns, others disclosed serious shortfalls in the care provided.
This included the number and frequency of falls, poor reporting and communications, unsanitary environment, personal items going missing, laundry completed to a poor standard, insufficient staff numbers to support people to the toilet in a timely way.
Former nurser, Sandra Colville, 64, from New Costessey, whose 95-year-old mother Vanda Thorpe has vascular dementia, said: "Everybody needs to be treated with care, dignity and respect. It upsets me."
Vanda Thorpe, 95, who lives at Mayflower Court care home in Bowthorpe - Credit: Sandra Colville
She claimed her mother, who has been in the home since August last year, has had about 26 unwitnessed falls since her stay there.
The 64-year-old also raised concerns about how well her mother's personal hygiene is maintained by staff and criticised the lack of personalised care.
Tracey Blazey (right) with her mother Lilian Bradford a few years ago on holiday in Santorini, Greece. - Credit: Tracey Blazey - Credit: Tracey Blazey
Another former nurse, Tracey Blazey, 63, from Old Catton, whose 92-year-old mother Lilian Bradford has been in the home for six years, said: "I don't trust them. I have been trying to move mum."
Ms Blazey, who said was not surprised by the report, added the home was too big.
NorseCare was contacted for comment.
