Urgent Conditions Imposed at Newquay Care Home After CQC Finds Serious Failings

A Newquay care home has been rated inadequate by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), with urgent conditions imposed on its registration to protect residents. Ocean Hill Lodge Residential Care Home, which provides accommodation and personal care for up to 18 older people, was inspected between 7th and 14th November last year following concerns raised by the local authority.

Major Concerns Over Resident Safety

The CQC’s findings led to immediate action, and from 20th November, the care home was placed under strict conditions. These prevent new residents from being admitted without CQC approval, require immediate improvements in safety, and demand monthly progress reports to the regulator.

Inspectors rated the home inadequate overall, with safety, effectiveness, and leadership also receiving the lowest possible rating. The home was placed into special measures, meaning it will be closely monitored while improvements are made.

Leadership Failures and Lack of Oversight

CQC deputy director of operations in the south, Catherine Campbell, highlighted serious issues in the home’s management.

“When we inspected Ocean Hill Lodge Residential Care Home, we found inconsistent management meant people weren’t receiving the level of care they had a right to expect. Leaders had very little oversight of people’s care and had failed to respond when things went wrong.”

The report noted that the registered manager was not based locally, had limited knowledge of the home, and didn’t understand the needs of residents. Instead, responsibility fell heavily on more experienced staff, adding unnecessary pressure and impacting care quality.

Serious Shortcomings in Resident Care

The inspection uncovered multiple failings affecting resident wellbeing, including:

• Medication errors – Records were incomplete, mistakes had been made, and staff hadn’t always contacted GPs when issues arose.
• Staff shortages – There weren’t enough staff to support residents, with agency cover not always used to fill gaps.
• Call bells unanswered – Some residents were left waiting for help, with call bells ringing without a response.
• Risk assessments missing – Some new residents had no risk assessments, leaving staff without guidance on how to support them.
• Lack of safeguarding – Some staff had not received training on how to raise concerns, and unexplained bruising was not investigated.
• Environmental hazards – Safety issues flagged in an electrical safety check had not been addressed, and doors to restricted areas were left unlocked or ajar.

Staff Raise Concerns Over Working Conditions

During the inspection, staff reported feeling undervalued and unsupported, with some forced to work longer hours and having their contracts changed without consultation.

“Staff hadn’t always acted when people’s risks and medical concerns changed. We found incidents where people had fallen or hit their heads, hadn’t been escalated to medical professionals,” said Catherine.

Despite concerns from staff and relatives, feedback was not always acted upon, with meetings held but issues left unresolved.

Next Steps for the Care Home

Ocean Hill Lodge Residential Care Home, which was previously rated good under its former provider, must now urgently improve or face further regulatory action.

“We’ve imposed urgent conditions on the home’s registration to protect people and focus leaders’ attention on making immediate improvements,” said Catherine. “We’ll continue to monitor the home and won’t hesitate to take further action if we’re not assured people are being cared for safely.”

The full CQC inspection report is available here.