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July 2011
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Angry owners hit back over report criticism By Dominic Musgrave THE angry owners of a Sonning Common nursing home say its latest report by the inspectorate claiming it is failing to meet 12 out of 17 essential standards is inaccurate. The major concerns the inspector had when he visited Orchard Lodge in February was that residents were not involved in decisions about their care and treatment. The report also claimed the owners did not take into account the feedback from people and their families in order to address concerns or make improvements. The day-today management of the home was also criticised. Husband and wife owners Nageeb and Naz Aubdool, who have run the home for the last two years, are now producing an action plan to meet the guidelines for when the inspectors return. Nageeb said: “When they came they announced themselves as if they were Big Brother. I understand they have a job to do, but there are ways to go about it. “They hadn’t come to support me, just to criticise me. At the end of the day we are both working for the same cause, which is care of the elderly,
Troubled operator given time to find a solution
but they seem to look for the wrong things. “The inspector wasn’t interested in the welfare of the residents, and would rather pull me up over the fact there was a slight draught coming from one of the windows on what was a windy day. “I am only human and admit there are shortcomings at the home, but these are things that I am prepared to work on and could do with their support with this, rather than being treated like a child.” Nageeb said he was planning to install more alcohol-based hand sanitisers and a wet room for the residents, and he had already put in security cameras and a stair lift. He now plans to write to his local MP to complain about the way he was treated during his inspection. Roxy Boyce, CQC’s south-east regional director, said: “The quality and safety of care provided at this home is not good enough. “Our inspectors will return to Orchard Lodge shortly, and if we find that the home is not making progress we won’t hesitate to take further action on behalf of the people who live there.”
Sir Chris Bonington opened a Cumbrian care home’s new dementia wing named in his honour at a ceremony. The mountaineer, best known for his expeditions to the Himalayas, including four to Mount Everest, opened the six-bed Bonington Way at Nether Place Care Centre in Keswick – the first facility of its type in the area. He also joined pupils from a local primary school to open a new sensory garden they helped designed for the residents at the Hometrust Care owned home.
SOUTHERN Cross has been given four months to find a solution to its financial difficulties. The process will be overseen by a restructuring committee consisting of representatives from the Darlington-based company and its 80 landlords. At the end of the process, Southern Cross is expected to end up operating under a different name with between 250 and 400 of its current 751 care homes. Other operators will run the remainder. A spokesman for the firm said: “The business, including the delivery of care, will continue to be the responsibility of the Southern Cross board, management team and staff who have the full support of both the landlords and lenders in the delivery of this important task.” For more turn to Page 14