Care home in special measures for breaching rules
GoogleA care home has been placed in special measures after inspectors discovered four breaches of regulations.
Eastbourne Care Home, run by Eastbourne House Ltd, in Darlington was inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in December and rated inadequate.
Inspectors found breaches in relation to people's care and treatment, safeguarding from abuse, staff training and the management of the service.
Eastbourne House said the inspection took place "shortly after" it acquired the care home following "prolonged underinvestment" and that, following improvements, it was "confident that the current rating does not reflect the high-quality care provided today".
The care home provides nursing and personal care for up to 41 people, some of whom are living with dementia.
It was the first inspection since the change of management.
'Ineffective leadership'
Concerns raised about inappropriate practices and attitudes of certain night staff were not passed on to the appropriate agencies, inspectors found.
They also said one person's urine sample was sent late for analysis which delayed treatment for their infection.
CQC deputy director of operations in the North Victoria Marsden said it was "disappointing that ineffective leadership had led to shortfalls in the quality of care, placing people at risk of harm".
The watchdog issued two warning notices following the inspection and said the home would be monitored to check "sufficient improvements" had been made.
Eastbourne Care Home was acquired in late 2024, after being in administration since 2022, the owners said.
"Prior to our ownership, the home suffered from prolonged under investment," a statement from Eastbourne Care Home said.
It said it addressed issues by voluntarily pausing new admissions, recruiting experienced senior leadership and implementing a "robust" staff training programme.