By Mal Butler
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has released a second damning report into Blackwater Mill Residential Home, following a second inspection in January.
As previously reported serious issues were found following an investigation published in October. Now, following the second investigation, published on Wednesday, but seen by the management some weeks ago, a decision was taken to close the home, just outside Newport. This will be confirmed on March 29 after Buckland, who ran the home, withdrew an appeal against de-registration.
The original report placed the home in special measures, but, following the second inspection the CQC found, among other criticisms that the home’s leadership hadn’t reported, or investigated suspected sexual abuse or learned from previous problems to prevent further harm.
Neil Cox, CQC deputy director of operations in the south, said: “When we inspected Blackwater Mill residential home, we were concerned to find poor leadership meant issues identified at previous inspections still hadn’t been addressed. As a result, people’s care fell well below the standard they have a right to expect and they continued to be at risk of harm.
“We found leaders hadn’t acted when people were losing weight, and staff didn’t support them to eat or drink. In addition, staff didn’t always ensure people had access to call bells to request help, they didn’t support people to use the toilet when they could, and didn’t ensure people had the safety equipment they needed.
“In addition, leaders still didn’t have an effective system in place to monitor incidents or ensure people were protected from abuse. They hadn’t reported or investigated multiple occasions where suspected sexual abuse had occurred. They also hadn’t taken appropriate action or learned from multiple incidents where people had fallen, or had experienced choking at the home to prevent further harm.
“We continued to find leaders didn’t support staff with the right guidance and training to enable them to provide safe care. People’s care plans weren’t always accurate or updated when their needs changed. Staff also lacked training in the medical conditions of the people they cared for.
Closure is last resort
“It’s always a last resort for CQC to take action which may result in a service that people call home closing, as we understand the distress and upset this can cause,” Mr Cox added. “However, people should receive safe, effective and high-quality care that meets their needs. “Where that isn’t happening, we take action to support services to improve, and, if they aren’t able to, take further action such as cancelling their registration to keep people safe, which is what we did at Blackwater Mill residential home.”
Blackwater Mill provided accommodation and personal care for up to 60 people, some of whom were living with dementia.
A statement issued this week by a Buckland Care spokesman acknowledged the findings. He said: “The wellbeing of our residents has always been our highest priority, and we have worked closely with the local authority and CQC to address key areas, including staffing, training, and care planning.
“While significant efforts have been made, after careful consideration, we made the difficult decision to withdraw our appeal and proceed with the planned closure of the home.
“Our focus throughout has been ensuring a smooth and supportive transition for residents, working alongside families, local authorities, and health professionals to help each individual find a new home that best meets their needs. We are pleased that suitable alternative placements
have been secured, ensuring continuity of care for all residents.
“We also want to extend our sincere appreciation to our dedicated staff for their commitment and compassion. Many team members have already secured new roles, and we continue to support those still seeking employment.
“We understand that this has been a challenging time for residents, families, and staff, and we remain committed to providing ongoing support to ensure a positive transition for all.”
The Isle of Wight Council was also contacted for a comment.
Isle of Wight Observer