Resident scalded and another goes missing at ‘inadequate’ care home

Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) visited Leonard Elms Care Home, in Congresbury, and found the home to be ‘inadequate’.

The report said the Brinsea Road care home was not safe or well led and needed to improve its effectiveness, care and responsiveness.

The CQC described a number of incidents which had taken place at the home, including a resident who ‘lacked capacity’ leaving the building and being found on the main road.

Another incident described a resident who had trapped their legs in a bed rail but no actions were taken to prevent the incident from happening again.

Residents and family members told the CQC they felt safe at the home and the healthcare service had seen some improvements.

But, the inspector was concerned that the home had not reported a number of incidents to the CQC or North Somerset Council.

The report says: “We found the system in place to monitor safeguarding was not working.

“There were failures in ensuring people were fully protected from harm and risks to health and welfare were reduced and responded to.”

The CQC said the staff members’ lack of training was also a concern as it impacted their abilities to keep residents ‘safe and meet their needs’.

The inspector found some medication, which required one member of staff to administer it and one to witness, was not correctly handled due to the lack of training of the witness.

Residents were also reported to have pressure wounds from not being repositioned during the day.

The report says: “Daily records were not being maintained accurately and this was a concern at the previous inspection.

“For example, one person’s care plan stated they should be repositioned every three hours. There were four days recorded when they had been in the same positions for between eight and 12 and a half hours.”

The Times approached the home for a comment but had not received a response at the time of going to print.