Care home told to improve by inspectors

An elderly person who shared the room was living with their co-resident’s bedding slung over a chair at Fernside Hall Care Home in Halifax.

The state of the room was discovered by Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors who ordered improvements after an unannounced visit last November.

Their report said: “We saw the person’s bed had been removed from the room but the bedding taken from the bed was thrown over a chair and a commode and other equipment used by the person was still in the room.

“We also noted the deceased person’s dentures were on the wash basin in the shared en-suite.”

The care home manager said the person’s relatives were yet to collect their belongings.

The report said: “However, the way the room had been left showed a lack of regard for the person still occupying the room and the family of the deceased person.”

The report found examples of good care at the home, on Stafford Avenue, but criticised leadership, staff training, record keeping and accident reporting.

When inspectors asked if the home was clean, one said: “It used to be.”

The report said: “People told us, and we saw, that the food provided at the home was of a good standard. However staff had failed to make sure that all of the people who lived at the home received the nutrition and hydration they needed to maintain their health.

“Staff demonstrated a caring attitude but we found that people’s dignity was not always respected.”

The home, owned by Eldercare (Halifax) Ltd, was rated inadequate for being well-led and “requires improvement” for being safe, effective, caring and responsive.