Sleeping person fed half a potato at Littlehampton care home

Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated Mewsbrook House in East Street, Littlehampton, ‘inadequate’ in all areas, following a visit in June.

The home, which was looking after 44 people at the time of the inspection, has been placed in special measures.

The report said: “A member of the inspection team had to intervene as a staff member started to feed the sleeping person their lunch.

“This included the staff member attempting to insert half a boiled new potato into the sleeping person’s mouth at which point we asked the staff member to stop as the person would have been at risk of choking.”

The CQC discovered people were ‘not always’ safe or protected from risks such as pressure sores at Mewsbrook House. They found care plans contained ‘inaccurate and contradictory’ information so it was difficult for carers to tell what support people needed.

Although inspectors found the home to be ‘generally clean’, inspectors said medicines were not safely managed and people did not always get their prescribed medicine.

The report states: “We observed some examples of staff interacting warmly with people and responding to them with kindness and respect.

“But we also noted people’s privacy was not always respected and that staff did not always acknowledge people when people spoke to them.”

However the report said staff were ‘not suitably skilled and knowledgeable’ to provide effective care for people’s complex needs.

A spokeswoman for Mewsbrook House said: “Following a visit from CQC in June several discussions have taken place surrounding the findings and actions required.

“CQC have placed enforcement action on Mewsbrook House which is being treated very seriously.

“The home has a new, very experienced manager who started with us in February and has made vast changes throughout and will continue to do so with the full support of the director.

“It is the intention of the management at Mewsbrook House to continue to work closely with CQC and the Social Services and rectify all issues.”

Inspectors will visit the home in six months and it will be kept under review.