‘Abuse’ at NHS unit subject to police investigation

Several staff from the home have already been “removed” from the site by Surrey and Borders Partnership Foundation Trust, although the trust would not comment on whether any disciplinary action has been taken against them.

The home – Oakwood, in Caterham, Surrey – will close at the end of the summer in response to the failings, the trust said. No one has been charged in relation to the allegations, which HSJ understands focus on coercive behaviour and unnecessary deprivation of liberty, with no allegations of violent or sexual behaviour.

Trust chief executive Graham Wareham said in a statement today: “On 3 March, I was very sorry to learn about allegations of abuse at Oakwood, one of our care homes.

“We immediately removed those members of staff who were directly implicated and took steps to support the seven people who live at the home and their families. We also notified Surrey Police and the Care Quality Commission.”

The trust has been trying to stabilise the home and address concerns since the allegations came to light but this was proving challenging, with a lack of staff who know the residents making it hard to provide person-centred care, he added.

“Following a review, we could not see how we could provide quality services within an acceptable timeframe. Therefore, on 25 May, our board took the decision to close Oakwood at the end of the summer,” Mr Wareham said. “We are now working closely with the people who live in the home, families, and commissioners to identify suitable alternative placements and to support people through the transition period.

“In terms of our broader learning, while we are still digesting lessons from what has happened at Oakwood, our chief nursing officer has commissioned an urgent piece of work to review our quality management processes with the support of an independent expert. The lessons from the review will inform changes to our oversight processes for our care homes.”

The CQC inspected the home in March and April – after it was made aware of the allegations – and in a report published yesterday rated it “inadequate” across all domains.

Staff used restraint techniques which had not been recommended, the CQC found, and there was a “negative culture”, with the “service being run to meet the needs of some staff members rather than the needs of the people living at Oakwood”.

The CQC report said:

• Guidance on appropriate restraints was either missing from people’s care records or not always followed by staff. Staff and managers did not always demonstrate understanding of restraint – with one saying that four staff holding a person’s limbs did not amount to restraint;
• The principles of the Mental Capacity Act were not always followed, meaning residents’ legal rights were not always protected;
• A closed culture within the staff team, with a few individuals seen to be determining how the service was run. The management systems in place did not promote a culture where people were supported in a personalised way to have a good quality of life;
• Changes were made without the involvement of those living in the home and they were not supported to cope with change. Accidents and incidents were not routinely monitored;
• Medicines management systems were not robust, and with no monitoring of people prescribed high dose anti-psychotics;
• With many regular staff not at work because of the safeguarding concerns, not all staff working at the time of the inspection knew the residents well. This was causing significant anxiety among residents. Some staff had not been trained in supporting people with learning disabilities and autism;
• Residents’ needs were not always assessed before they moved in and the impact on others already there was not always considered;
• Residents did not have opportunities for activities they enjoyed and their wishes were not always taken into account. When relatives raised concerns, these were not always responded to.

Oakwood was previously rated “good” in 2020.

Surrey police said: “On 8 March we received a report of concern for safety for residents at Oakwood Care Home in Caterham. A safeguarding enquiry is being led by adult social services and a police investigation remains ongoing. No arrests have been made at this time.”