Watchdog says failing Wigan care home is improving

Westwood Lodge in Poolstock has been taken out of special measures after health regulator the Care Quality Commission re-rated the home as requiring improvement.

Inspectors visited the home again in May after a damning report was published in February after the home was found to be failing in a number of areas.

Concerns had been raised about the management of medicine, preventing the spread of infectious diseases and around staff numbers.

Inspectors also raised concerns about the way residents were treated after discovering one resident was kept in bed because of their “challenging behaviour” and because they “shouted at other residents”.

But the CQC deemed the home to have made improvements since the original inspection in August last year.

The updated report reads: “People were now protected from services that were degrading and that included acts that were intended to control or restrain the person.

“We found people were protected against the risks of abuse, because the home had appropriate recruitment procedures in place.

“Appropriate checks were carried out before staff began work at the home to ensure they were fit to work with vulnerable adults.

“We found there were sufficient numbers of staff to effectively meet the needs of people who used the service.

“We saw people had risk assessments in place, which included falls, pressure sores, mental capacity, choking and malnutrition.”

The inspectors deemed the safety and how well-led the service provided by home had improved from inadequate to “requires improvement”.

The effectiveness and the responsiveness of the service remained as requires improvement while how caring it was re-rated as good.

One breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 was observed surrounding the management of medicine.

Wigan Council has been working closely with failing homes to help them improve the service they provide.

Jo Willmott, its assistant director for provider management, said: “We are pleased that the improvements made at Westwood Lodge have been recognised by the CQC inspector and that the service for caring there is now recognised as ‘Good’.

“We will continue to work with staff at the home to ensure the improvements in other areas set by the inspectors are met and that the overall quality of care for residents at the home continues to improve.”