Tilsworth care home for elderly rated ‘Inadequate’ in CQC report

Orchard Lodge on Stanbridge Road has seen a rapid decline since its previous inspection in 2016, when it was rated ‘Good’.

The CQC report, published last week, found Orchard Lodge to be inadequate in all areas except for effectiveness, in which it was rated ‘Requires Improvement’.

The report stated that records were “insufficiently detailed” and added: “Some people did not have a fully functioning supply of heating and hot water in their bedrooms. This was a long - term issue and, although the provider had made attempts to address it, an effective solution had not been carried out.

“Poor maintenance of the premises placed people at risks of harm, by infection, inhalation of mould spores from damp, and exposure to cold or wet weather. Staff were not deployed effectively to support people safely and people were left at risk of falling.

“Although staff were kind when they spoke with people, interaction was very limited and many people were at risk of social isolation.”

A spokesman for the care home said: “Orchard Lodge Care Home has been a ‘Good’ rated home by the CQC for many years providing high standards of care to our service users. We are very disheartened to hear the CQC’s findings in their latest report and subsequent ‘Inadequate’ rating.

“We are working very closely with the CQC, CBC, Bedfordshire CCG to rectify the concerns identified and improve our facilities. We have addressed all maintenance issues, completely updated and improved all our care documentation and enhanced our staff engagement with service users.

“We are continuously updating the CQC on our improvements and progress. Our current service users and their loved ones have all mentioned that despite the findings, they feel safe and well cared for at Orchard Lodge. The safety, dignity, well-being and quality of life of our service users is of fundamental importance to us and we are committed to ensuring that we provide an excellent quality of care to our service users.”