Bedfordshire care home where 'human rights were violated' placed in special measures
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has downgraded Hepworth House’s rating from 'requires improvement' to 'inadequate'
A Bedfordshire Care home has been placed in special measures after inspectors found serious concerns about the care provided to residents. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has downgraded Hepworth House’s rating from 'requires improvement' to 'inadequate' and has imposed urgent conditions to ensure improvements are made.
The residential care home, run by 313 Healthcare Limited, provides personal care for up to 20 older people, including those with physical disabilities and dementia. Following an inspection in January prompted by routine monitoring, the CQC found multiple failings in care, safety, and management.
Stuart Dunn, CQC deputy director of operations in the East of England, said: “When we inspected Hepworth House, we were deeply concerned to find staff didn’t always respect people’s rights when providing care and didn’t always know how to safeguard people from abuse. Managers hadn’t ensured staff had the support, training or information needed to care for people in a safe and person-centred way.
“Some people had been given personal care against their will, despite having full capacity to make decisions about their own care. This violated their dignity and human rights, and managers had failed to recognise this, which is unacceptable.
“We also found that when people had experienced harm or allegations of abuse had been raised, leaders hadn’t fully investigated these incidents or reported them to outside organisations such as CQC and the local authority, as legally required. As a result, they missed opportunities to learn and protect people in the future.”
The CQC has placed conditions on the home, preventing it from admitting new residents without prior agreement and requiring it to submit monthly reports detailing its progress. The home has also received warning notices relating to person-centred care and management practices.
Inspectors found that many people’s care plans and risk assessments lacked detail, with some residents having no care plans at all. This meant staff did not always have the necessary information to meet people’s needs, reduce health risks, or respect their preferences. Some people were not given a say in planning their care, and their choices were not always respected.
Other concerns raised in the report included:
Medicines were not always managed safely.
Staff had not always sought immediate medical help when people sustained possible head injuries.
People were not always given information in ways suited to their needs.
Some residents’ end-of-life care plans were incomplete or lacked clarity on their wishes.
A fire escape was found to be partially blocked.
Some wardrobes were not secured to walls, posing a risk of falling.
While most people spoken to said they were happy with their care and found staff to be kind, the inspection found that not all care met required standards. Some residents had been left with minimal engagement during parts of the day.
Managers had made improvements to the home’s environment since the last inspection, including redecoration. However, many of the issues identified had not been recognised by management, highlighting a lack of oversight.
The CQC will continue to monitor the home closely and conduct further inspections to ensure improvements are made and residents receive safe care.
A Hepworth House spokesperson said: "We are extremely disappointed by the findings of the recent CQC report on Hepworth House. While we recognise that certain areas required improvement we do not agree with all aspects of the report’s conclusions.
"The safety, well-being, and dignity of our residents remain our highest priority. We take these concerns very seriously and have already implemented significant changes to address the issues raised. We are working closely with local authorities, healthcare professionals, and regulatory bodies to ensure that necessary improvements are made swiftly and effectively.
"Despite the report’s findings, we want to acknowledge the dedication of our staff, who continue to provide compassionate care to our residents. We remain committed to delivering the highest standards of care and ensuring that every resident is treated with respect and receives the support they need.
"We will continue to work transparently and proactively with all relevant agencies to demonstrate the progress we are making and to ensure the best possible outcomes for those who call Hepworth House their home."