An Oldham care home is failing in four out of the five areas inspected, according to a damning report by the Care Quality Commission.
The report, published in October, found that Dryclough Manor required improvement in their standards of providing care that meets people’s needs and caring for people’s safety.
The home met the standard for treating people with respect but was again deemed to require improvement concerning the standards of staffing and suitability of management.
A spokesman for CQC told MM: “Visiting inspectors identified minor impact non-compliance with all six national standards reviewed.
“CQC has told the provider where improvements must be made and we have received an action plan from Dryclough Manor Limited outlining the steps they are undertaking to become compliant with national standards.”
Dryclough Manor is a home providing accommodation and personal care for people over the age of 65, specialising in dementia, physical disabilities and sensory impairments.
The home’s previous inspection in November 2012 received a glowing report with inspectors concluding the home checked every requirement that the CQC had set.
However, inspectors returned on an unannounced visit to the Shaw Road home on September 24 and found that essential standards of quality and safety weren’t being met.
Residents were recorded in the report as saying ‘they don’t have any time for us’ and apologising for requiring assistance from staff that appeared rushed.
At the time of the inspection the home did not have a permanent manager as the previous one had left their position two weeks earlier.
Dryclough Manor’s directors told MM: “We are obviously very disappointed with the latest report especially as we have taken great pride in our excellent previous reports.”
“The home was undergoing a change in management and regrettably some of our very high standards slipped during this period.”
A newly appointed manager started on November 11 and, during the interim period, a manager from another of the provider’s care homes in Sheffield provided cover.
Staff members were, according to the report, unsettled by the transition, especially as they had not been informed of the pending change despite a lengthy period of notice being served.
One member of staff in particular mentioned they now felt ‘deserted’ after previously ‘working in the right direction’, which affected the standard of care passed on to patients.
One resident was told they would have to wait to go to their room because staff were unavailable.
The report concluded that ‘there were not enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff to meet people’s needs.’
The safety and suitability of the premises had also slipped in standards as there was only one communal shower available for the home’s residents.
The manor bathroom was ‘not safe’ and awaiting repair while a second bathroom on the upper floor was impractical given the nature of the resident’s needs.
The report also said that people were not protected from the risks of unsafe or inappropriate care and treatment because records were not properly maintained.
Senior staff were responsible for completing food and fluid charts during shifts but, after looking at care records for four residents, found them to be incomplete.
CQC inspectors have highlighted a number of factors that Dryclough Manor need to improve upon, and directors at the home say they are successfully doing this.
A director explained: “We have already made great strides in rectifying the shortcomings since the report was issued.
“We have appointed a new highly experienced and respected manager and we are confident that in a very short time we will be back to the very highest of standards that our residents deserve.”
A spokesman for CQC said: “We are monitoring the home’s progress and will be returning to carry out a follow up visit in due course.”
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