Short-staffed care home told to improve by watchdog

Health inspectors have ordered improvements at an under-staffed care home in Normanton.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated Haven Lodge as “inadequate” overall in a newly-published report.

The CQC raised concerns about staffing levels, the administration of medication and record keeping following a two-day July inspection at the Wakefield Road care home.

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The rating means 32-bed Haven Lodge is in special measures and must improve or risk enforcement action from the watchdog.

The report said: “Staff were stretched as on the first day [of the inspection] one care worker was off sick and the registered manager spent part of the day shopping for groceries for the home.”

The report said staff were caring, kind and compassionate “despite being under considerable pressure”.

Some relatives who spoke to the CQC praised Haven Lodge, which is owned by Care Homes UK, but others said there were not enough staff.

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One relative said: “Standards have deteriorated. It’s all to do with staffing levels.”

Care workers at the home said staffing levels were too low because of sickness and holidays.

The CQC report said: “During our inspection we heard call bells ringing at frequent intervals for much of the first day, and saw people frequently had to wait for assistance to the toilet for over ten minutes. We observed one person wait 50 minutes for assistance.”

Haven Lodge was rated “inadequate” for being safe and well-led and “requires improvement” for being effective and responsive.

But the home was given a “good” for being caring.

Haven Lodge said no-one was available when contacted for a comment.

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