'Unclean and unsafe' Hyde care home ordered to improve after inspectors found unexplained bruising on residents

A care home in Tameside has been told to improve after findings of staff shortages and unexplained bruising on residents.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) found that Charnley House, based in Hyde, was not always clean and safe. An inspection took place in August 2023 with a report later published in December highlighting a lack of safety when handling medicines as well as bruising found on residents’ skin without explanation.

“Body Maps should be used to document and illustrate visible signs of harm and physical injuries,” the CQC report said.  

“However, body maps were not always being completed to reflect these. We observed one person had black bruising and a skin tear to their hand and finger and there was no incident form or body map completed. 

“We observed another person had significant bruising to their head and face and there was no completed body map.”

The report went on to reveal that checks on recruited staff had not been up to scratch and that hardworking staff were stretched and struggled at times to meet people’s needs. The inspectors gave an example of one night where a high number of falls at the home had taken place with only three care staff on the night shift to care for up to 40 people over three floors.

Staffing was brought up as a key issue by the CQC, even quoting residents who said they needed to add more to the workforce. In the categories of safe; effective; caring; responsive; and well-led the care home, situated off Albert Road, was rated as ‘Requires Improvement’.

Following the report being drafted, the care home hierarchy rejected the judgements made by the inspectors and claimed there are inaccuracies in the report. The position of the care home is that the published CQC report is not a reliable document and does not represent good evidence.

Peter Hill, Managing Director of Charnley House Limited, said: “As a prudent and reflective provider of care we always take seriously any concern raised about our service, Charnley House. Unfortunately, when we received the CQC’s latest draft inspection report, we found that it contained a number of factual inaccuracies, disproportionate judgements and failed to include some positive evidence relating to our service. 

“In addition, we had very serious concerns about the way that the inspection team conducted its review. On this basis, we felt that we had no option but to engage the support of a legal representative to help to produce and submit detailed comments and corrections on the draft report and to lodge a formal complaint about what we saw as concerning, unprofessional conduct on the part of the CQC inspection team.

“Despite our comprehensive submission and supporting evidence, the CQC did not make any substantive changes to the final report, which we feel does not accurately reflect our service. We do not feel that the inspection report published by the CQC is a reliable document.

“We have not yet received a detailed response to our complaint, which is very disappointing. There are areas of the final inspection report that did correctly demonstrate that some minor improvements were needed. 

“Those changes were made on the day of the inspection as soon as they were pointed out, or shortly thereafter. Again, it is disappointing that those changes were not fully reflected in the final version. 

“We take our duty to constantly improve and learn very seriously and will always react positively and proactively to accurate and substantiated criticism. We hope that the next inspection of the service is a more positive experience and restores the home’s “Good” rating.”