Residents removed from Whitby care home

It's due to safety concerns

Author: Local Democracy Reporter, Carl GavaghanPublished 27th Nov 2020
Last updated 27th Nov 2020

Residents are being removed from a care home in Whitby due to concerns about their safety.

North Yorkshire County Council says it is working with residents and their families to rehouse people from Glencoe Care Home in Chubb Hill Road.

The home, run by Harmony Care Enterprise LTD, was recently rated as “Inadequate” by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) which found flaws with its coronavirus controls.

The inspection report stated: “Risks to people were not appropriately managed or recorded.

“Equipment had not been checked at regular intervals to ensure it remained safe and fire risks had not been adequately assessed or managed.

“The service did not have sufficient infection prevention and control measures in place. Government guidance in relation to Covid-19 had not been followed which placed people at increased risk.”

North Yorkshire County Council this morning told the Local Democracy Reporting Service it had now stepped in and that residents would be moved to alternative care homes.

Richard Webb, the county council’s corporate director for Health and Adult Services, said: “Our priority is keeping residents in care homes across North Yorkshire safe, including when we face challenging circumstances such as the one at Glencoe Care Home.

“We, Public Health England, the Care Quality Commission and NHS partners have been working to support Glencoe Care Home in every way we can to try to ensure the wellbeing and safety of the people living there.

“The home has received extensive support, training and advice from the North Yorkshire County Council Quality Improvement Team and Community Nursing Team concerning any issues raised, plus guidance on general difficulties faced due to Covid-19.

“Sadly, the provider has not been able to make the rapid changes needed to ensure people receive safe and appropriate care, without the continued presence of North Yorkshire County Council staff.

“We have therefore had to make the difficult decision to move people to alternative care homes where we can be assured they will receive the standards of care required.

“We have been working with residents and their families to agree the arrangements for people to move.”

The home must now work with the CQC to make improvements if it is to reopen.

A CQC spokesman said: “Our latest inspection of Glencoe Care Home found that its care did not meet standards that people should be able to expect.

“Due to issues highlighted in our published inspection report and ongoing significant concerns for people’s safety, North Yorkshire County Council made the decision to support the home’s residents to transfer to other services.

“Full details any action CQC may take in relation to the service’s future will be published as soon as legal restrictions allow.”

Harmony Care Enterprise LTD has been approached for comment.

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