Care home in special measures after concerns raised

A care home where an injured resident waited five days to be taken for an X-ray has been placed in special measures.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said on Thursday it was "disappointing" that Lavender Lodge Nursing Home in Derby, which provides accommodation and care for up to 44 people, had slipped from a good grading in 2022 to inadequate overall following an inspection in February.

Inspectors visited after concerns were raised by whistleblowing staff and relatives of people living at the Stafford Street home.

A Lavender Lodge spokesperson apologised to "residents and their loved ones" and said action was being taken to improve.

The CQC highlighted "significant" failings around people's care and treatment, person-centred care, and management following the inspection.

According to the report, one relative told inspectors a resident had suffered an injury with no explanation as to how it occurred, while another relative reported their family member suffered a wrist injury which was not X-rayed for five days.

The CQC found people's health conditions were not managed properly - such as managing seizures in people with epilepsy while bathing or out of the home - putting them at risk.

Staff were criticised for being "task focused" and ignoring the needs of residents.

One relative noted there was "zero going on" while another said: "All I could see was people sitting in a circle in chairs not doing anything."

Inspectors said there was "a closed culture" which left people feeling unable to speak up with their concerns.

Greg Rielly, CQC deputy director of operations in the Midlands, said: "It was disappointing to find a deterioration in the quality of care being provided to people in a place they call home."

The home will face closer scrutiny from the CQC "to keep people safe" while under special measures.

In a statement, Lavender Lodge said it was "grateful for the opportunity to improve" and a specialist firm had been brought in to "undertake a rapid and wide-reaching improvement program" alongside a new management team.

The spokesperson added: "Following the inspection, we took immediate and significant action to safeguard our residents and ensure they received the very best care.

"We have taken CQC's findings very seriously and where appropriate we have involved external agencies to ensure those responsible for significant failings are held to account.

"We would like to take this opportunity to apologise again to our residents and their loved ones."

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