Cornwall care home rated inadequate by CQC and placed into special measures
Clubworthy House in Launceston provides care for autistic people and people with learning disabilities
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has a residential care home in Cornwall into special measures following an inspection in October.
Clubworthy House in Launceston run by Nos Nom, provides care for autistic people and people with learning disabilities and has also been downgraded from outstanding and rated it as inadequate by the CQC.
Two individuals were living at the home during the inspection, which was carried out due to concerns about people's safety and the outcomes of their care.
CQC inspectors identified several breaches of regulations, including safeguarding, staffing, person-centred care, and good management practices.
Care standards were also found to have deteriorated since the last inspection.
Ratings in several areas have been downgraded by the CQC.
The caring rating has dropped from outstanding to inadequate; effective and well-led have changed from good to inadequate; responsive has declined from outstanding to requires improvement, and safe has gone from good to requires improvement.
CQC has placed the service into special measures which involves close monitoring to ensure people are safe while they make improvements.
According to the CQC, Special measures also provides a structured timeframe so services understand when they need to make improvements by, and what action CQC will take if this doesn’t happen.
CQC also announced it has begun regulatory action to address the concerns, which Nos Nom has the right to appeal.
Stefan Kallee, CQC deputy director of operations in Devon, said:
"When we inspected Clubworthy House, we found leaders had allowed a closed culture to develop where people weren't treated with dignity and respect, and staff felt unable to raise concerns about poor practice. Although this was a small home, every single person using care services deserves to be treated safely and with respect.
"We heard multiple serious allegations that one of the leaders had screamed in people's faces and used swear words aggressively towards them. Staff told us they'd witnessed these incidents but didn't feel able to challenge the leader’s approach. Despite having appropriate policies, the home failed to report or independently investigate these allegations of abuse.
"This meant people weren't protected from harm and couldn't be confident their concerns would be taken seriously. One person told us they felt scared and unhappy and had expressed wanting more independence and to leave the home, but there was no evidence they'd been supported to explore this.
"People had very little control over their daily lives. Staff told us activities and meals were planned in advance with limited flexibility for individual choice.
"We expect health and social care services to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the safety, choices, dignity and independence most people take for granted. It was unacceptable that leaders were allowing a culture to exist where people weren't being given these basic rights.
“CQC is monitoring the home closely to keep people safe while improvements are made and is taking further regulatory action.”