Hebburn care home is ordered to improve after inspectors find serious failings

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) criticised Bedewell Grange in Hebburn over patient safety, poor leadership and a failure of staff to interact with patients.

Its team also found staffing levels at the Campbell Park Road centre were too low to guarantee patient safety.

Records revealed 12 patients had suffered falls in the past year, leading to nine bone fractures and a head injury.

Staff also admitted to being too busy to always take breaks, with work pressures meaning breakfast was sometimes not served until 10.30am.

Although the CQC said care had improved since its inspection in July 2017, September’s unannounced snap check identified three breaches of legal care obligations.

In its new report, the CQC said: “At this inspection we found improvements had been made, but further improvements were required with regard to aspects of people’s care.

“Staffing levels and staff deployment required review to ensure people received safe and effective care.

“We had concerns staffing levels, and systems were not all in place to ensure people received safe care over the 24-hour period.

“Improvements had been made to service provision and action had been taken to achieve compliance with the breaches since the last inspection.

“However, further improvements were required.”

Bedewell Grange can accommodate 50 people, and there were 44 patients at the time of inspection.

The CQC also found the home delivered an effective service was well-maintained, spacious, bright and airy, and that staff were kind, caring and respectful.

Overall, it identified three of five check points as requiring improvement.

Centre operator Barchester Healthcare Homes Ltd said it took the CQC’s findings very seriously, and recognised that changes identified in the report needed to be made.

A spokeswoman for the firm added: “We have implemented a comprehensive plan clearly outlining the immediate steps being taken to ensure these improvements in our services can be made swiftly, including an active recruitment drive to ensure that we hire, train and retain the best quality staff.

“We welcome that the Care Quality Commission noted how our well-trained staff know our residents well and would like to reassure everyone of our commitment to provide the highest quality of care to those living at Bedewell Grange and to emphasise that their health and wellbeing is at the forefront of everything we do.”