Beleaguered Derbyshire care home where staff called residents ‘psychotic’ remains inadequate

Ashford Lodge Nursing Home has been languishing in special measures since last January when a damning report from the Care Quality Commission found a resident ‘trapped in bedrails’ and staff using ‘derogatory language’ about service users.

The nursing home, in Ilkeston, is a residential care home providing support for up to 20 people - including those living with dementia.

CQC inspectors have revisited the residential home on a number of occasions since last January and published their latest report earlier this month.

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They concluded that, whilst it was identified people were at risk of not receiving safe and consistent support, actions were taken ‘during and immediately after the inspection’.

However they noted that there was still not a robust system in place to ensure there was an adequate number of suitable staff to meet people’s needs.

They also said that people were at risk of injury from hot water with the temperature in communal bathrooms not regulated. Not all staff had an up-to-date DBS check and, therefore, the provider had not ensured staff employed were safe to support people.

The care home remains rated ‘inadequate’ and, as a result, in special measures.

When inspectors visited the premises last January they reported a catalogue of concerns and regulation breaches.

They said: “The management team had not created a culture of high quality, person centred care. Records of care and support were written in a judgemental manner. The handover sheet referred to people using derogatory language, such as, 'unkempt' 'attention seeking', 'kleptomaniac', 'psychotic' and 'vacant.' Use of traditional, outdated language in care records did not promote a positive culture.”

During the initial inspection they also located a care user trapped between bedrails and added: “Bedrails were not used safely. During inspection, we found a person with their legs through the bedrails, they were saying they were trapped and could not get out. This posed a serious risk of injury. Although there was a bed rail risk assessment in place, there was no clear rationale for the use of bedrails and the fact that the person was able to walk had not been considered as a risk.”

Ashford Lodge Nursing Home did not respond to the Derbyshire Times’ phone calls.