Great Bentley care home in special measures after 'staffing failures'

A care home has been placed in special measures after inspectors found its staff recruitment process put residents at risk of harm.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has threatened to close the service at The Oaks Residential Care Home in Essex if it does not show improvement.

Inspectors said there were not sufficient background checks on staff.

The CQC did not report any safeguarding incidents and it commended the "compassionate care" people received.

"Systems to assess numbers of suitably qualified, competent, skilled and experienced staff have not ensured there are sufficient staff deployed to meet people's needs," read the report, which was published on Friday.

The CQC said two inspectors visited between 16 February and 27 February and spoke to four residents, seven relatives and nine staff.

The care home in Great Bentley near Colchester - which cares for about 21 residents all aged over 65 - was previously rated good in April 2021.

Inspectors said they reviewed seven staff files, which lacked evidence confirming staff identities; detailed employment histories; and up to date Disclosure and Barring Service checks (DBS).

The CQC said staff were not provided with sufficient training on dementia and for supporting people at risk of choking when eating.

The report, however, said staff "treated people kindly" and showed "compassionate care and warmth".

The CQC said its inspection was prompted by concerns over infection control and the report said the building was "unclean and unhygienic".

"Organic matter" was found underneath bath chairs, toilet raisers and on toilet brushes that were "sitting in dirty contaminated fluid", inspectors said.

The registered manager arranged a deep-clean after the first inspection day and the building was "visibly cleaner" by day-two.

The care home is rated inadequate - therefore putting it in special measures - and the service is due to be re-inspected within six months.

The CQC said its registration would be cancelled - preventing the care home from operating - if it did not show sufficient improvement.

It said it had to address a breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008, namely that the "failure to have robust recruitment systems in place, to ensure staff are of good character and are fit to work in the service, places people at risk of harm or abuse".

The care home has been contacted for comment.

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