York care home rated as inadequate by inspectors

Haisthorpe House in Holgate Road has been deemed inadequate following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) over about a series of problems including the cleanliness of the home, staffing levels and leadership.

The care home, which looks after up to 30 people, has been told to urgently improve and formal warning notices have been issued.

The CQC report from the inspection reads: "The service was not safe. The majority of the people said they felt safe but some said they had been upset by the behaviour of others they lived with.

"People's rights and safety were not balanced because risks were not managed appropriately. People did not receive their medicines as prescribed. The premises were not clean or well maintained.

"There were not enough staff to meet people's needs and and safe recruitment practises were not always followed which put people at risk. People's liberty may have been restricted but the provider had not made an application under the Mental Capacity Act Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards."

Other concerns included that staff had not had updated training and focused on tasks rather than spending time with people who used the service. Care plans were not always up to date and some people said they could not make choices about their care.

Inspectors found living conditions were "poor".

John Britcliffe, the owner of Haisthorpe House, said a consultancy had been brought into to work out an action plan for improvement which they would have implemented by the end of January.

He said he was very disappointed by the report and would welcome the CQC to re-inspect after that date.

Mr Britcliffe said: "We are expecting to fully recover the situation outlined in the report by the end of January. I have changed the management of the home and I am very proud of all the work being done by the acting management and the care staff in getting us to where we are today."