Roop Cottage Residential Home in Pontefract placed under special measures after 'inadequate' CQC rating

Roop Cottage Residential Home on Wakefield Road in Pontefract has been rated 'inadequate' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following an inspection at the tail end of last year.

The inspector said they found one person "chewing their hand", which they suspected was a sign they were thirsty or hungry, and that people looked "unkempt with dirty fingernails and mouths, and unbrushed teeth which placed them at risk of infection".

A spokesperson for the care home said it takes the concerns raised "very seriously" and is "taking proactive steps to address any areas for improvement".

Roop Cottage, run by SNSB Limited, provides residential care for up to 35 people.

The inspection was prompted due to concerns received about people being unkempt and remaining in their bedrooms, poor management of choke risks, dietary needs, weight loss, diabetes, pressure care, privacy, dignity and cleanliness of the environment.

Following the inspection, the overall rating for the home as well as safe, caring, effective, well-led and responsive have all declined from requires improvement to inadequate. Well-led was again rated as inadequate.

Roop Cottage has also been placed into special measures, meaning the CQC will closely monitor it to ensure people are being kept safe, and it will be assessed to see whether improvements have been made.

Sheila Grant, CQC deputy director of operations in the north, said: "When we inspected Roop Cottage, we found a disorganised and unsafe service, where a lack of strong leadership was impacting people’s care and placing them at risk of harm. We took immediate enforcement action to ensure improvements are made so people can be cared for safely and appropriately.

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"Concerns raised at previous inspections hadn’t been acted upon and there was very little evidence to show the service was learning when things went wrong.

“This is a place people call home and being kept clean and hygienic is a basic care need that people should be able to expect as an absolute minimum. However, we saw some people looking unkempt with dirty fingernails and mouths, and unbrushed teeth which placed them at risk of infection.

“It was upsetting that some people who were unable to communicate verbally weren’t having their basic needs met. Two people who were unable to speak with us had very dry mouths and one person was chewing their hand, which staff said was a sign they may be thirsty or hungry.

“We raised concerns at previous inspections around people not being given choice about where or how they wanted to spend the day. We continued to see people in bed or sitting in their rooms, even when their preference was to be in communal areas.

“We have told leaders where we expect to see rapid, widespread improvements and will continue to monitor the home closely to keep people safe during this time.  We will return to check on their progress and won’t hesitate to take further action if people aren’t receiving the care they have a right to expect.”

A spokesperson for Roop Cottage said: "We understand the concerns raised in the recent CQC report and want to assure residents, families, and healthcare professionals that we take them very seriously. We are committed to providing the highest quality care and are already taking proactive steps to address any areas for improvement. This includes a comprehensive review of our resident care procedures, implementation of stricter oversight measures, and additional staff training programs.

"Furthermore, we have actively engaged with residents, their families, and other healthcare professionals involved in their care to ensure all concerns have been fully identified and addressed through open communication and documented conclusions. We believe this collaborative approach is key to ensuring the well-being of our residents.

"We are committed to working constructively with the CQC to ensure the report accurately reflects the high standards of care we strive to provide at Roop Cottage."

The full report can be accessed on the CQC website.