A CARE home in Albaston has been shut down following damning reports from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Fernleigh House, which was run by the Angel Care Agency Ltd, was caring for nine people at the time of three inspections in August this year.

Two inspectors attended the service unannounced and found the overall rating for the service ‘inadequate’ on all levels of care — they graded them on whether the service was safe; effective; caring; responsive and well-led.

Prior to the inspection, CQC had received a concern that despite an allegation of abuse against a staff member, they had been enabled to continue working at the service.

CQC had also taken enforcement action and imposed a condition on the provider’s registration, which meant on a monthly bases the provider was requested to submit a report detailing action they had taken to improve medicines management, the assessment and management of people’s health and safety needs, infection control, the cleanliness and maintenance of the environment, governance systems, their recruitment process and ensuring staff employed were suitable for the work and to ensure staff received the training and supervision necessary to meet people’s needs.

The August inspection took place on August 6, 7 and 13.

In their report, one of the inspectors said: ‘The commission had been receiving and reviewing the provider’s monthly returns, which had demonstrated ongoing improvement at the service. The findings of this inspection found the information which had been provided had not always been fully accurate and did not always reflect the current regulatory position within the service.’

The inspector added that people were not safe living at the service: ‘People’s health needs were not always monitored properly and staff did not always have the skills or knowledge to support people safely with their health care needs.’

The inspector added that residents were not always supported by sufficient numbers of staff to ensure safety; that during the inspection there had not always been a staff member trained to administer medicines; and that their personal preferences for food, activity, or end of life care had not been met.

‘The provider had not taken sufficient action to ensure the service improved,’ said the inspector.

‘During the second day of the inspection, the local authority [Cornwall Council] reviewed the needs of the people living in the home and decided they would no longer commission with the service. By the final day of the inspection, everyone living in the residential home had been found alternative accommodation by the local authority.’