Sussex Health Care service given third ‘inadequate’ rating

Sussex Health Care’s (SHC) The Laurels care home in Horsham has been rated ‘inadequate’ for the third time by the CQC.

SHC is currently under a police investigation over a number of deaths at its homes between April 2015 and June 2017 (see Probe widened into Sussex Health Care deaths). The CQC announced in September that it was restricting admissions to The Laurels after an inspection found that residents with challenging behaviour had regularly attacked themselves, staff and other residents (see CQC restricts admissions to police probe home).

The CQC said: “During this focused inspection we found concerns consistent with the information shared with us by the local authority safeguarding team regarding poor record keeping, information sharing and risk management relating to specific individuals’ bowel care, hydration, postural, wound management and on-going healthcare support needs. These concerns meant people were at a high risk of potential harm.”

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In a parallel inspection, the CQC also rated SHC’s Rapkyns Care Centre in Horsham, also known as The Grange, as ‘requires improvement’.

While the service was rated ‘good’ for being effective, caring and responsive, it was given requires improvement in the safe and well-led categories.

A SHC spokesperson said: “We are working constructively with the Care Quality Commission and are taking on board their findings.

“We are committed to providing the highest quality of care for residents. Where areas of improvement have been identified we have been, and will continue to, put in place measures ensuring we deliver the best support possible.”