A care home which was deemed 'inadequate' at a recent inspection has now closed down.
During an inspection of Bolton's Sunnyside Residential Home last year, the CQC (Care Quality Commission) found someone's medication plan in the car park and discovered bird faeces covering a fire exit staircase.
The Adelaide Street home was given a deadline of February 15 2022 to make the necessary improvements but Bolton Council confirmed it has shut down.
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Its 19 residents have been re-homed in 'suitable alternative accommodation', according to the Town Hall.
“We were made aware that Sunnyside Residential Home would be closing on 15 th February 2022," a Bolton Council spokesman said.
“Following an inadequate inspection in 2021, the council has worked closely with the home and the Care Quality Commission to support improvements and ensure the safety of residents.
“There were 19 residents placed in the home and each of them has been found suitable alternative accommodation well ahead of this week’s deadline.
“There are procedures in place to deal with care home closures and the wellbeing of residents was our top priority throughout this process.”
Sunnyside was visited by inspectors between June and July 2021 and received an 'inadequate' rating despite being specifically told how to improve just months earlier.
The CQC highlighted:
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Repeated concerns about infection control practices
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The home failing to respond to a serious substantiated safeguarding incident
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Staff not being provided with specific training around supporting people with autism
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A person’s medication care plan being found in the car park
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Areas of the home being 'highly unhygienic'
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The fire exit staircase being covered in 'bird faeces'
"People were not always kept safe from the risk of harm," the report read.
"We identified appropriate steps had not been taken following a serious safeguarding incident. The local authority had requested the provider undertake a formal investigation into the incident and specialist training be identified and implemented for staff. Neither of these had been actioned.
"Medicine records had gaps and people’s medicines were not always stored safely; however, we found no evidence of impact on people and felt this was an issue around auditing and quality assurance.
"We found concerns within the environment and building relating to fire and legionella’s disease safety.
"In the home’s external areas, which could be accessed by people who use the service, we found significant levels of uncleanliness which could’ve potentially caused harm.
"People’s dependency to ensure the appropriate level of staffing had not been assessed for several months, although this had been started recently. Some staff had not received appropriate levels of supervision or training and the provider had not carried out appraisals with the management team.
"Infection control practice within the home had improved since our last inspection but remained unsafe."
It continued: "Records were not stored or disposed of securely, we found a person’s medication care plan in the car park, on arrival at the service.
"The provider had failed to display their most recent inspection report and rating both in the home and on their website."
