Suffolk care home "inadequate" says CQC as residents given wrong medication

A care home in Suffolk has been deemed "not safe" after an inspection found residents being given one another's medication.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) recently inspected Pinford End House in Church Road, Bury St Edmunds, and rated it as "inadequate" after finding a number of safety failings. Chief among these were residents being sat sedentary for up to nine hours at a time, and being given the wrong medication during the day.

Residents have also been choking on food - which had gone unreported - and had access to a number of dangerous items in toilets.

Inspectors said: "People spent significant periods in sedentary positions without mobilising and there were gaps in repositioning records of up to nine hours. The failure to follow risk assessments and ensure that people were assisted to reposition at regular intervals placed people at increased risk of skin breakdown.

"Where people had acquired skin tears, had wounds that required regular dressing changes, there was a lack of body maps in use and robust guidance for staff in the monitoring and management of these.

"We found unlocked storage cupboards where people had access to razors, unsecured medicines, cleaning products and toiletries. The risks associated with these items had not been considered. During July and August 2023 significant numbers of medicine errors were noted, including where incorrect medicines and incorrect doses had been given to people."

While talking to one resident, inspectors found that staff had tried to give them someone else's medicines - on multiple occasions. The resident said: " I could tell by the colour of the tablets in the pot they handed to me that they weren't mine. Good thing I could speak up, not everyone here can do that, it could be fatal for someone."

National World has approached Pinford End House for comment.