WALTHAMSTOW: Reprieve for care home

9:53am Wednesday 19th November 2008

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A CARE home has been brought back from the brink of closure by making substantial improvements in its standard of care.

Abbeydale Care Home in Bisterne Avenue, Walthamstow recieved a poor rating from Government inspectors, the Committee for Social Care Inspection in July, after an unannounced inspection on May 20 this year.

The home for 12 adults with past or present alcohol and drug addiction or mental health issues is owned by Active Care Partnerships but is situated Inspectors said Abbeydale felt too much like a hospital and not enough like a home.

Despite this they also found that trained staff were not on duty at night leaving residents at risk of harm and medication provision did not follow best practice.

Residents were also not provided with enough activities and staff worked long hours.

And training and staff rotas requested by CSCI were not still not received more than two weeks after the visit.

But a new inspection carried out on October 23 the home had made substantial improvements.

A spokesman said: “The inspection in May gave us concerns about serious shortcomings in the standards of care being provided to residents at Abbeydale and our inspectors issued requirements on the home to make substantial improvements. We have closely monitored its progress since then.

"Another full inspection was carried out on 23rd October and we found that the home has made substantial improvements and the overall level of care is now much better. A new manager is in post and is working hard to raise standards.”

Abbeydale was originally built with the aim of providing accommodation for elderly people but came under fire after its owners decided to use it to home psychiatric patients.

In 2005 Brian Longmore, 43, a paranoid schizophrenic who police said could be violent to women and children, disappeared from the home, then called Abbeydale Independent Hospital.

He was found five days later but residents expressed concerns that patients with acute psychiatric problems should not be housed there.

During the same year a 38-year-old patient went on the rampage at the hospital, smashing windows and damaging doors.

Three police cars and a van were called to the 46-bed mental health unit to deal with the disturbance and rooftop protests by patients and excess noise have all bothered residents in the past.