Barrow Upon Soar: Residents remain at risk at 'inadequate care home

Inspectors say residents remain at risk at a Leicestershire care home that was ordered to make improvements.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) returned to Pinglenook Residential Home in Barrow Upon Soar in October after rating it "inadequate" on four previous visits.

However inspectors concluded not enough improvement had taken place and it will remain in special measures.

Incomplete care plans and poor record-keeping were among issues identified.

The home provides accommodation and personal care for up to 16 elderly residents, some of whom have dementia.

The CQC's report said unsafe moving and handling of residents put them at risk of harm and a lack of robust care plans created a risk that deteriorating health could go unnoticed.

It also said records of fluid intake for people at risk of dehydration were not regularly completed, medicine was not managed safely and infection control measures fell short.

As a result the care home was rated inadequate in all three categories being inspected - safety, effectiveness and leadership.

A previous inspection in October 2022 found residents were put in danger by a dangling electrical wire during maintenance work.

Craig Howarth, from the CQC, said: "We were disappointed to see that little improvement had been made since we last inspected.

"Leaders need to focus on making immediate improvements to ensure people receive safe and appropriate care.

"It was concerning that when people with complex needs required support, the provider failed to develop care plans to guide staff how to support them.

"This meant people were at risk of receiving unsafe care and signs of deterioration in their health condition may be missed.

"We will continue to monitor the service closely to ensure the necessary improvements are made and people are kept safe during this time.

"If improvements are not made by the time we next inspect, we will not hesitate to take further enforcement action."

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