'Inadequate' Horsham Care Home Closes Learning Disability Services

A care home offering services for people with disabilities in Horsham is closing its learning disability service after inspectors rated it as 'inadequate', again.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), an independent regulator for health and social care, released a report rating The Laurels in Guildford Road as 'inadequate' after an inspection on November 17 2020.

In response, management at The Laurels took the decision to close its learning disability service at the end of 2020.

The service was registered for the support of up to 41 people, but at the time of the inspection nine people were using the service.

The Laurels is operated by Sussex Health Care, which is the subject of an ongoing police investigation after concerns were raised over the alleged ill-treatment of residents in 2017.

As of July 2020, the investigation was focused on eight deceased residents, rather than the initial 13.

Previous inspections of The Laurels in August 2019 and May 2020 both revealed breaches of legal requirements at the care home.

The overall rating of 'inadequate' did not change in November 2020.

Inspectors found people were not always safeguarded from abuse, and there was unsafe assessment, monitoring and management of risk for people with support needs regarding behaviours that may challenge, choking, breathing, mobility and posture.

Medicines were not always managed safely, and people had not always received their medicines as they should have.

Actions were not taken to investigate safety incidents and prevent them from reoccurring, risks around people's deteriorating health and well-being were inconsistently managed and monitored.

These are just a handful of findings highlighted in the report, published on January 15.

Jemima Burnage, CQC's Head of Inspection for Adult Social Care in the South, said: 
 
"This report makes for concerning reading, although we do appreciate that this has been a difficult time, both for everyone involved at The Laurels and also for the local area as a whole.

"However, our first priority is always the welfare of the people who are living at the service. There remain continuing concerns at the service and we cannot allow people to be exposed to ongoing risks to their safety and well-being.

"As a result of the concerns which inspectors had, CQC will consider what further action we would want to take to ensure people who receive services from The Laurels are safe."

A spokesperson from the care home said providing the 'highest quality of care' was always its utmost priority, and the latest report 'deeply saddened' management.

A spokesperson from Sussex Health Care said: 

"Providing the highest quality of care for those we look after is our utmost priority and, as such, we are deeply saddened by the latest report from the CQC. 

"Following our own extensive review, we made the difficult decision at the end of 2020 to close our learning disability service at The Laurels. This is part of a wider review of our services in this area with the aim of enhancing the care we deliver in both the short and longer-term. 

"This process is currently underway and every resident currently at The Laurels is having their placement reviewed individually. Our focus is to provide a seamless continuity of care for those we look after through this process. 

"This change forms part of a wider programme of investment we are delivering across our estate. The Laurels is being reprovisioned so that it can provide modern, high-quality and appropriate care for older people, ensuring we can continue to support individuals and families across the region."  

When asked for an update on the ongoing investigation into Sussex Health Care, Sussex Police said the investigation is ongoing.

A spokesperson from Sussex Police said:

"The investigation into Sussex Health Care continues. This police-led safeguarding investigation, supported by safeguarding partner agencies, commenced as a result of safeguarding concerns raised by West Sussex County Council for a number of patients at nine Sussex Health Care premises.

"Sussex Police was originally alerted as a result of safeguarding alerts relating to 43 residents, of whom 13 had died. 

"The investigation focuses on possible offences of wilful neglect, failing to discharge general health and safety duties at work, manslaughter by gross negligence, and corporate manslaughter; whether by the actions of individual staff or due to corporate failings by Sussex Health Care. As of July 2020, 28 people have been interviewed under caution in connection with the investigation. 

"The enquiry is now focused on eight deceased residents rather than 13. After thorough investigation it was determined that there is insufficient evidence to to show that criminal offences had taken place in respect of the other cases, and their families have been informed.

"However the evidence obtained in those cases will still be considered as part of our ongoing investigation."