St Brigas Residential Home

Although improvements had been made to aspects of the service following its previous inspection, the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) report revealed ‘medicines were not always managed safely’ and ‘the provider was not following its recruitment procedures.’

The report adds: “When people were absent from the service the systems in place did not record quantities of medicines taken and returned to the home. This meant there was a risk people’s medicine could go missing. No ‘as required’ medicines had guidelines to inform staff when, why and how much should be administered. These were important because most people lacked the ability to communicate this information to staff. 

One member of staff only had one reference. Its recruitment policy and Provider Information Return stated each member of staff should have two. This meant people were at risk of harm from staff working with them whose conduct in employment had not been fully checked.”

There were also times when the Mental Capacity Act 2005, which requires that as far as possible people must make their own decisions, had not been followed.

However, the home was praised for the levels of care it provided with staff described as ‘kind’ and ‘respectful’.

Activities were also tailored to individual residents’ needs and likes while the home’s manager, Lynne Whitehouse, insists the report’s suggested improvements have been made.

She said: “The errors that were found have now all been met.”