The Lawns Care Home in Darlington downgraded by CQC

Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said the Lawns Care Home, in Ridsdale Road, was not clean, while staffing issues were affecting the quality of care.

Issues with there not being enough staff to maintain a hygienic service and problems with how medications were being managed were also highlighted. 

The home, which was previously rated as good, was downgraded to “inadequate” and is in special measures.

The CQC reported  issues with leadership and culture at the home, while care records were no always up to date and there was mixed feedback about the atmosphere within the home.

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Some residents who needed a low sugar diet were not always given one – with one person regularly eating biscuits, jam and desserts.

However, people told staff they liked the staff and felt safe, the CQC said.

Following the inspection in February, provider Burlington Care implemented an action plan to address the concerns around medicines, the environment, risk assessments and people’s nutrition and hydration needs.

Alison Chilton, CQC’s head of adult social care inspection, said: “When we inspected The Lawns Care Home, we found a service where the standard of care had deteriorated since our last inspection. People’s safety and wellbeing needs were not being met, understaffing was causing poor morale and risks were not being effectively managed.

“People told us the staffing issues were affecting the quality of care they were providing. They worked hard and wanted to spend more time supporting people but were too busy. This also affected the cleanliness of the service and we saw several dirty areas in need of a deep clean, including bathrooms, bedrooms and clinic rooms.

“It is unacceptable that people were not always receiving their prescribed medicines which could place them at serious risk of harm. Medicines were not stored securely and a fridge that contained temperature critical medicines was not set at the correct temperature. Stock counts showed discrepancies between what was administered, meaning we could not be assured people were receiving the correct medication at the right time.

“It was concerning that loose tablets were found on medicine trolleys throughout the home which could have easily been picked up and ingested by someone in error. Inspectors also found a tablet on the floor in an area where people with dementia were living and this may have caused them harm if they swallowed it.

“Immediately after the inspection the provider implemented an action plan to address the concerns identified, to minimise risk and ensure the safety of people who use the service. Leaders must now ensure these urgent improvements continue to be made and are sustained.

“We will continue to monitor The Lawns Care Home closely to ensure people are safe. If we are not assured people are receiving safe care, we will not hesitate to take further action.”

Relatives of patients reported staff being “rushed off their feet” and “under a lot of stress”.

Inspectors found:

• The kitchen staff, care workers, and senior care workers, did not have accurate and up to date knowledge of people's nutrition and dietary needs.
• People who required a low sugar diet did not always receive this. One person on this type of diet was regularly eating biscuits, jam and desserts.
• Risks to people were not always appropriately assessed, monitored and managed. There were no diabetes care plans or risk assessments in place for people who were diagnosed with this condition.
• Incidents of challenging behaviours were not properly recorded. There was no analysis of potential triggers or themes, and no consideration of potential impact on others who used the service.
• Body maps were not in place for creams and lotions. This meant it was not always clear where they should be administered.
• Staff were not always deployed appropriately. During the inspection, it was noted on at least three occasions that there were no staff present in one of the home's smaller units.

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