Yahoo News Three Surrey care homes where residents were 'at risk of institutional neglect' shut by the health watchdog
Three Surrey care homes have been closed by the health watchdog over concerns residents were “at risk of abuse due to institutional neglect”.
Rainscombe House, Nutbush Cottage and Rainscombe Bungalow, all run by the Mitchell's Care Homes, were previously rated overall “inadequate” by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The properties are located in Smallfields and Horley and all looked after people with learning difficulties and autism.
“People were at risk of financial abuse and there was institutionalised neglect towards people and a closed culture within the service,” said inspectors looking into Rainscombe House.
In response to the closures, a Mitchell’s Care Home spokesperson said: "We have openly acknowledged shortcomings whenever they were fairly identified and were taking active, positive steps to address aspects of our service and settings.”
Across all three homes, inspectors found that staff did not treat residents in a “person-centred” way. Task-based routines were prioritised over residents’ personal care and “created an institutionalised feel” to the home, according to inspectors.
They raised concerns that residents were not always treated with dignity, respect and honesty. Instances included some staff members ignoring residents, not engaging with them, or respecting emotional needs.
Revisiting the homes in June and August 2024, inspectors said they found “very little progress.” Amy Jupp, CQC deputy director of operations in the south said: “There was an unacceptable deterioration in the level of care across the services, which put people living there at risk of harm.”
She added that staff did not always understand their safeguarding responsibilities and people's human rights were not always acknowledged or respected. Inspectors found two instances where someone had left the building and ran into the road, but staff hadn’t recorded them as incidents or raised them to leaders.
Handover records did of people's finances did not tally up with how much they had spent, inspectors reported in May and June 2024. According to the CQC, transactions seen on receipts which were seen as unusual for the individual was identified or investigated. They said the provider had "failed to ensure robust processes were in place to protect people from financial abuse".
Inspectors detailed one incident at Nutbush Cottage when staff repeatedly told someone they would be seeing their family the next day, and confirming this when the person asked for assurance. But when inspectors asked about the family arrangement, staff told them they would not be seeing their family but they liked to talk about them. Asking if the resident would be upset if they realised, two staff members said: “They will have forgotten by then.”
There were not always sufficient levels of suitably qualified and trained staff at Rainscombe House and Bungalow to ensure residents’ safety, with staff records showing they were in the house or the bungalow at the same time. In Rainscombe House inspectors found that medicine was not always given as prescribed, and in Rainscombe Bungalow “poor” practices took place.
The provider exercised its right of appeal to the Care Standards Tribunal in order to challenge CQC’s decision. But during tribunal proceedings, Mitchell’s Care Homes Limited withdrew their appeal.
Responding to the report, a Mitchell’s Care Home spokesperson said: “Overall, the statement reads like punishment for appealing action the Care Quality Commission was pursuing.” Mitchell’s Care Home disputed many of the claims made, arguing that it did not accept staff numbers were inadequate and safeguarding concerns did not go unreported.
The spokesperson added: “With great sadness and regret that we decided to close the three residential settings. We did so once it became clear that the CQC was determined to shut us down based on claims and material we disputed. We will be focussing our future effort on providing and continually improving the supported care services we deliver in the community."
