101-year-old woman told she has two days to move out of failing care home, family says.

Fears are growing over the future of Radcliffe Gardens Nursing Home after residents said they were given two days to move out.
Radcliffe Gardens Care Home was given an inadequate rating by the Care Quality Commission in JuneRadcliffe Gardens Care Home was given an inadequate rating by the Care Quality Commission in June
Radcliffe Gardens Care Home was given an inadequate rating by the Care Quality Commission in June

The Radcliffe Gardens Nursing Home, in Radcliffe Gardens, Pudsey, is registered to provide accommodation for 20 people.

Dorothy Stefanidis, is a retired newsdesk assistant, whose 101-year-old-mother, Gladys Scholes, was in the home.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mrs Stefanidis told The Yorkshire Evening Post that she was phoned by social workers on Monday and told that her mother would have to leave the home that week.

Since that time, there has been a legal development and the care home remains open with residents told they do not have to leave.

However, Mrs Stefanidis, from Pudsey, has moved her mother to another care home as she said the development was a little too late.

She said: "As much as we would have loved to have her stay at Radclifffe Gardens, I was scared I wouldn’t get her in somewhere else near us.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The staff are brilliant and we know them really well because it’s such a small and homely place. We are trying to be positive about it but it’s very sad.”

What caused the confusion?

The confusion began when the home was put into special measures by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in June of this year.

An inspection by the CQC found a number of fire safety concerns, medicine management issues and concerns that there was no registered manager in post.

The report praised the staffs warm and respectful manner towards residents and said they demonstrated a good understanding of how to protect vulnerable adults.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

When a care home is put into special measures they are given a time period to make improvements.

Care homes are able to appeal this decision in the appeals court.

If a home does not make the adequate improvements then the Care Quality Commission can issue an enforcement - one such enforcement option is the closure of a home.

However, the CQC said it has not taken any action to close the home at this time.

What have the CQC said?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A CQC spokesperson said: “CQC inspectors visited the service in June this year and reported on several serious concerns, the home was rated Inadequate and placed into special measures. CQC is currently considering enforcement action in line with the special measures programme.

“Inspectors returned to the home in October to check that people are safe and whether improvements have been made. The inspection report, and any action taken, will be published in in due course.”

What are Leeds City Council doing?

Leeds City Council said it works closely with the CQC to make sure care homes are safe, suitable and properly run.

It said it had been made aware that there is a risk the home might have to shut at short notice if it fails to meet CQC standards.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A spokesperson said: "As a council we have robust contingency plans in place in case of a care home having to close. We take this very seriously. We took action as soon as we could to alert families to the potential the home could shut, and offered support, guidance and advice to families to help find alternative care provision.

“We cannot comment in detail on action the CQC may take against Radcliffe Gardens Nursing Home while this matter may be considered by a judge of the Care Tribunal but we will continue to work closely with families and will keep monitoring the situation."

Management at Radcliffe Gardens said they were unable to comment at this time.