Places sought as Newport care home closes (From South Wales Argus)

Places sought as Newport care home closes

6:10pm Thursday 14th March 2013 in News

NEW placements are being sought for more than 30 residents of a Newport care home that is to close amid ongoing serious concerns from standards inspectors.

Belle View Park Care Home, on Stow Hill, has been the subject of two highly critical inspection reports in the past four months – another report is due shortly – and its owner and staff are working with Aneurin Bevan Health Board and the city council to move residents out.

Managing director Dr Viraj Gopaul confirmed the home is closing, but refused to comment further.

The Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) does not comment on individual cases, but is known to be seriously concerned that the required level of improvement at Belle View Park has not been achieved.

A further inspection was undertaken in February and the report is due soon.

Meanwhile, CSSIW is working with the health board and city council to protect residents’ safety and welfare.

An unannounced CSSIW inspection was carried out at the home in September last year, after “anonymous concerns” were raised, according to the inspection report, and to ensure continued compliance with regulations.

The subsequent report concluded the home was noncompliant on regulations governing individual risk assessments, care plans and accuracy of daily records.

It also raised concerns about the lengthy waits before staff answered residents’ calls, staffing levels, electrical wiring and problems with the lift.

At a further unannounced inspection on November 30, the CSSIW found no improvement in residents’ quality of life, non-compliance issues remained unresolved, and further problems identified.

The CSSIW team found a resident in their bedroom with an arm caught between the mattress and the bed rail.

Subsequently, a “health professional” informed them that two more people had since been similarly trapped.

A serious warning letter was sent by CSSIW about this, and another over the home’s failure to provide a satisfactory certificate on the safety of electrical wiring, as previously requested.

The inspection team concluded that overall, Belle View residents could not be confident of care from competent, well-trained staff.

Residents’ needs are assessed

ANEURIN Bevan Health Board and Newport City Council confirmed they are working with the home’s owner and staff in supporting residents, families and advocates to find suitable alternative placements.

A joint statement read: “Health and social care professionals are in the process of reassessing the medical, nursing and social care needs of residents.

Our priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of residents, many of whom have significant and complex needs.

“We are confident everything possible is being done by health and social care professionals to secure alternative placements and to minimise the significant risks of moving people. We will ensure each person is well supported before, during and after their move.”