The manager of a failing nursing home has said he ‘doesn’t have time’ to deal with CQC criticisms, despite the centre being placed in special measures.
Polefield Nursing Home in Blackley was rated ‘inadequate’ – the lowest rating possible – in April 2016 when CQC inspectors found overflowing waste bins, evidence of vermin and residents shouting out for help.
Inspectors found a number of issues at the home, including dirty laundry bags discarded on the floor, stagnant water in the waste water drain, ‘incredibly hot’ radiators causing burn risks and single-use syringes were being used multiple times.
Mohedeen Assrafally, owner and manager of Polefield, defended the centre and said that he had made improvements since he took over in April 2016.
“I’m a new manager and owner so I just kind of feel a bit helpless because a lot of things are historical,” he told MM.
“I’m working hard to get things sorted and they had some immediate things that they wanted me to put right otherwise I would have been de-registered.
“When they come next time it will all be put right. So I didn’t want to respond to their factual inaccuracies because I don’t have time for it.”
Inspectors found personal items stored in the treatment room along with a computer which was covered in dust showing the room was had not been cleaned thoroughly creating a risk of infection.
The report said: “We found the medicines fridge was not kept locked and there was no safe disposal of medicines being used. We found open bottles of alcohol, staff bags and coats being stored in the treatment room.”
But Mr Assrafally said that these things had been taken care of.
He said: “All those things have already been addressed. You talk about the alcohol in the treatment room, that was the resident’s.
“It’s a resident’s property but obviously like if you leave it in her room she’ll want to drink it all. And it wasn’t an open bottle because we don’t buy bottles of alcohol for her.
“The overflowing bins were addressed straight away. Basically it was all people had just put rubbish bags in the bin. There were other bins that were empty but they hadn’t instead of utilising it.”
Staffing levels were low and some of the patients were left unattended for long amounts of time including people in the residential unit who were shouting out for support.
The report said: “We observed one person who was reported to be doubly incontinent sat in a chair in the lounge for the whole time we were there, at no point during the day was this person moved or their continence pad checked.”
Management told inspectors that there were ‘enough staff members’ and they had received no complaints despite being told people’s dependency needs had increased and they needed more support by colleagues.
It was noted that people felt safe and supported by the care staff on the whole.
But checks such as risk assessments, staff training, recruitment and quality assurance had not been completed.
Three incidents which involved people falling had not been reported to the CQC – an action which is required.
“We identified three incidents within two peoples’ care files which had not been reported to CQC. For example we saw one incident where a person had fallen which had resulted in the service ringing 999 and the person was taken to hospital,” the report said.
“We raised this with the provider who was unable to say why these had not been reported as there had been a registered manager in post at the time of the incidents.”
Mr Assrafally insisted that the CQC should have flagged these problems up before.
“My main comment is they did inspect this place in November, why did they not pick up these things when they did the last inspection?” he said.
“Because these were historical things that had existed before my time.
“They should really be working in partnership and collaboratively to help us put these things right instead of acting as regulators.
“When you ask them for guidance they can’t give you guidance. I can point out why it’s not right and you ask them for some guidance – and yet you’re paying thousands of pounds to register.
“Because I put the things right immediately, it’s been put in special measures and they can come any time they want. They can come – I welcome their visit.”
Image courtesy of Google Maps, with thanks
