'Inadequate' care home placed in special measures

A care home has been rated inadequate after an inspection found holes in the walls and loose electrical sockets.

Staff at Westmead in Castleford also told Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors there had been a maggot infestation between floorboards prior to the visit last year.

The home, which supports people with learning disabilities, has been placed in special measures, which means it will be kept under close review by the CQC.

A spokesperson for The Bridge Community Care Limited, which runs Westmead, said "immediate action" had been taken following the report and "the service is now in a very different place than during the CQC's inspection last year".

At the time of the inspection, Westmead was at full capacity with nine people living at the home.

CQC deputy director of operations in the north, Sheila Grant, said "staff were not always safeguarded from abuse" with inspectors told "they did not feel confident about raising concerns".

She continued: "Leaders had not created an environment which was safe for the people who called Westmead home.

"We found holes in walls and loose electrical sockets, we observed damage to the flooring and staff told us there had been a maggot infestation between the floorboards.

"Also, a carpet had been glued to the floor without any underlay, resulting in a very hard surface.

"All of this put people at risk of harm."

A spokesperson for The Bridge Community Care Limited said they were "deeply disappointed" with the outcome of the inspection and "took immediate action to address concerns".

They said changes to management had "undoubtedly impacted on the running of the home", and they now had a "stable and embedded management team in place".

Improvements to digital systems and processes were among the changes made since the inspection at Westmead.

All staff are now "suitably trained" to administer medication and a significant refurbishment programme has been completed.

"We look forward to welcoming CQC back in the near future to demonstrate the significant progress that has been made," the spokesperson added.

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