Inadequate care home remains in special measures

9 hours ago

Jenny ColemanNorth West

Stonedale Lodge was put into special measures in February

PA Media A close up of an elderly man's hand holding a walking stick — Stonedale Lodge was put into special measures in February

A care home which was put into special measures by inspectors earlier this year has been rated inadequate again.

Stonedale Lodge in Liverpool has repeatedly been given the lowest rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) since 2023, with the latest visit highlighting problems with staffing and medications not being given on time.

The CQC said the home, which provides nursing and personal care for up to 180 people, was being closely monitored to ensure people were safe while improvements were made.

Advinia Care Homes Limited, which runs the home in Croxteth, has been contacted for comment.

The CQC inspected Stonedale Lodge in February after concerns were raised during a visit in December, when breaches of regulation were found in relation to safe care and treatment and how the home was managed.

It was again given an overall rating of inadequate and rated as inadequate for safety and leadership and rated as requires improvement for care.

The care home in Croxteth provides nursing and personal care for up to 180 people

Google Stonedale Lodge is a red brick building set behind bushes and trees. A sign with black writing against an orange background reads 'Stonedale Lodge' — The care home in Croxteth provides nursing and personal care for up to 180 people

Inspectors found low staffing levels affected the quality of care, care planning remained inconsistent and staff did not always administer time-critical medications on time putting people at risk.

They also found accidents and incidents were not managed properly; staff did not always uphold people's privacy and dignity; and not all visitors signed the visitors' book on entering the building, which was a repeated concern from the previous inspection.

Inspectors did comment that staff's interactions with people were generally kind and respectful and some improvements to engagement processes had been introduced.

Special measures provides a structured timeframe for improvements to be made.

The CQC said it was already taking enforcement action to address concerns, which Advinia Care Homes Limited has the right to appeal.

The full report will be published on CQC's website in the coming days.

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