Controversy over care homes in Thurrock has flared up again after the borough’s council announced it was stopping putting old folk into a flagship development which has been slammed by government inspectors.
Thurrock Council says it has stopped all new placements at Bluebell Court residential home in Grays following a "poor" report from Government inspectorate, the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) published last week.
The news has angered opposition councillors in Thurrock who fought and lost a campaign to keep a Council-run care home open.
Many of the residents in the doomed Elizabeth House were moved to Bluebell Court, owned and operated by the Executive Care Group, and Labour say they have been let down.
Labour group leader and £30,000 a year councillor John Kent said: "When Tory Councillors forced through the closure of Elizabeth House, they promised the best possible care for the residents who were transferred to other homes including Bluebell Court. It’s clear that was all talk; it's more a case of out of sight out of mind.
“I’m very angry about this - it is neglect pure and simple. The Council should have been looking after the interests of the residents of Bluebell Court from day one as they promised to by carrying out their own regular inspections.”
However, £15,822,14 a year councillor Amanda Arnold, Thurrock Council’s Cabinet member for Adult Social Care, says care of those in need remains a top priority. She said: “We are contacting all Council-placed residents and their relatives to inform them of the situation.”
“Thurrock Council is actively monitoring what the home is doing to rectify the situation and we will keep people informed as things progress. We have a good record of working positively with the privately-run homes in the borough to ensure they meet the standards we would expect for our elderly residents.
“No private company takes the CSCI reports lightly and I am sure that Executive Care Homes will already be putting action plans together to ensure the Commission's concerns are addressed as a matter of urgency."
The Council has written to the owners of the home informing them of its intention to stop sending new residents to Bluebell Court where it currently has 40 people placed.
It says it is also carrying out regular checks on the home in Stanley Road.
CSCI rated the home as “zero stars”, classing its “Choice of Home” and “Management and Administration” standards as “poor”. They rated the “Health and Personal Care”; “Daily Life and Social Activities”; “Complaints and Protection”; Environment and Staffing” standards as adequate.
Paul Musgrave, managing director of specialist services for the Gateshead-based Executive Care Group, said: "We have always been proud of the care and support that we have provided for individuals at Bluebell Court and where we can improve we would always strive to do so.
"We have been challenging our CSCI report as we do not feel that it provides a fair reflection of our home and are pushing for re-inspection as soon as possible.
"We have been working closely and positively with Thurrock Council to address this matter and are meeting with them this week to work together to move this forward.
"We are also speaking to our residents, their friends and families to let them know about the outcome of the recent inspection and that we always welcome their personal feedback about care quality.”
However, councillor Kent remains unmoved by the pledges of Council and company.
He said: “It’s disgraceful that it has taken more than two years and a Government inspection to discover the care for our vulnerable old people at this home is sub-standard. Worse still, this news seems to have come as a complete surprise to Thurrock Council!
“The Tories’ boast that they have a "good record of working positively with the privately run homes in the borough to ensure they meet the standards we would expect for our elderly residents" would be a joke if it weren’t so serious."
As a relative it can take up two 20 minutes to get into the home because of a locked front door. there always seems to be very few staff on and my mother in law always seems to be in bed. After a infection which occured at the home as was left and not treated properly she had to spend 7 weeeks in hospital and at one point was critical. The hospital also confirmed when addmitted she had MRSA. I therefore question why certain menbers of staff go around kissing residents?
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