A privately-run hospital has been slammed by officials after staff failed to monitor the potentially fatal side-effects of medication.
Park Lodge Independent Hospital, which provides long stay mental health care for adults, was labelled inadequate by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The CQC found that only three out of the 20 staff members were sufficiently trained at the Stockport hospital, including the manager.
Inspectors also found several issues with the hospital staff’s administration of medication and how they interacted with patients when they visited the 10 bed facility.
“As part of our investment in the service we have temporarily closed the service to allow the environment to be expanded and upgraded,” said a spokesperson from service provider Partnerships in Care.
“The CQC inspection was at the early stages of our ownership and reflects the service at that time.
“We will reopen the service once this has been completed and all issues raised in the CQC report will have been addressed.”
Staff at Park Lodge were seen providing patients with the strong anti-psychotic drug Clozapine, and failing to thoroughly monitor its numerous side effects.
NICE lists potential Clozapine side effects such as liver damage and bowel obstructions, both of which can be potentially fatal.
The CQC report stated: “Staff had not developed care plans to monitor side effects for patients prescribed Clozapine, nor did they know whether patients prescribed anti-psychotic medication had monitoring plans.”
Inspectors went on to highlight a particularly concerning incident with a patient at the hospital also prescribed anti-psychotic medication above the British National Formulary guidance limit on doses.
Staff had no plan in place to monitor the patient’s intake of the drugs, allowing this lapse to go on despite them being unaware if the patient’s GP was doing so instead.
The hospital was even found to have allowed its emergency medication bag to expire, airways and masks were found with expiration dates of 2014.
Not only in cases of medication and treatment were cracks in care found, no members of staff had food hygiene training, despite being responsible for supporting patients when they prepared meals.
In one of the most concerning elements of the report, staff were found threatening patients with cutting off privileges in order to encourage them to return to their rooms or take medication.
The CQC reported: “Relatives told us that some staff were insensitive and abrupt, some staff coerced patients to carry out tasks.
“On one incident form staff had reported telling a patient that their behaviors would not be tolerated.”
Alongside this inspectors witnessed a member of staff dismissing requests from patients, turning their backs on them and shaking their head.
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