Care home bosses claim they have ‘been placed under immense pressure, repeatedly feeling targeted and victimised rather than supported or fairly assessed’ by inspectors
Prema Court
A care home looking after people with mental illnesses has been slammed as ‘unsafe’ by the health watchdog and plunged into special measures.
Health inspectors branded ‘a deterioration in the quality of care since we last inspected’ as ‘disappointing’. Inspectors revealed how people were left ‘looking dishevelled’, ‘unshaven’, with ‘dirty fingernails’.’
‘One person had fallen nine times in a year and there was no risk assessment or support in place to prevent them from falling again’, reads the damning report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), published today (July 23).
Prema Court, run by Deepdene Care Ltd, in Old Trafford, provides care for up to 44 people. It has now been rated inadequate and placed into special measures after inspections in March and May.
But leaders say they ‘invested heavily in the home, implementing major refurbishments, strengthening staff training, and introducing new care protocols’ to try and improve, but claim they have ‘been placed under immense pressure, repeatedly feeling targeted and victimised rather than supported or fairly assessed’ by inspectors.
Care home bosses say they are now closing the facility following the damning revelations, and their claims that they were targeted by a ‘determined effort to find fault’.
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Inspectors found that care home staff hadn’t reported some incidents to the CQC as required by law, and that they hadn’t made adequate efforts to support people with more complex mental health needs.
Family members had very little knowledge of their relative’s planned care, said the CQC report, and staff didn’t always manage people’s medicines safely, with unexplained gaps in their records.
The service didn’t always meet people’s nutritional and hydration care needs, and improvements were underway to repair unsafe parts of the building, added the report.
However, care home leaders hit back at the watchdog, saying ‘it is a tragedy that a punitive system, indifferent to progress, has led to this outcome’.
Their statement reads: “It is with deep regret that we announce the decision to close Prema Court, a care home that has served the community with compassion and dedication.
“This follows the recent ‘inadequate’ rating issued by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) — a rating we believe is wholly unrepresentative of the improvements and hard work undertaken over the last 14 months.
“Throughout this period, we have worked tirelessly with both Trafford Council and the CQC to enhance the quality of care and the living environment at Prema Court. We have invested heavily in the home, implementing major refurbishments, strengthening staff training, and introducing new care protocols — all aimed at delivering meaningful change.
“Despite this, we have been placed under immense pressure, repeatedly feeling targeted and victimised rather than supported or fairly assessed. We firmly believe that both Trafford Council and CQC have failed to recognise the genuine progress made and have instead chosen to focus on historic issues rather than the current reality of the home.”
Alison Chilton, CQC deputy director of operations in the north, said: “When we inspected Prema Court, it was disappointing to see a deterioration in the quality of care being provided since we last inspected. Poor leadership and ineffective risk management had led to people receiving unsafe care in a place they call home.
“Leaders failed to act or understand people’s conditions when those with challenging behaviours acted aggressively towards residents and staff. Some staff admitting to feeling frightened when dealing with people with complex behaviours.
“Staff weren’t encouraging or supporting people to carry out their personal care needs, for example people looked dishevelled, were unshaven and had dirty fingernails.
“Leaders also weren’t supporting people at risk of falls appropriately. For example, one person had fallen nine times in a year and there was no risk assessment or support in place to prevent them from falling again.
“It was obvious staff were trying their best under difficult circumstances. When we inspected, we saw staff had organised for someone to work with the maintenance man as they enjoyed taking part in DIY, and another person was assisted to church which they enjoyed.
“We have told leaders where we expect to see rapid, and continued improvements and will continue to monitor the home closely to keep people safe during this time. We will return to check on their progress and won’t hesitate to use our regulatory powers further if people aren’t receiving the care they have a right to expect.”
But the care home bosses retorted: “Our attempts to raise legitimate concerns and provide evidence of improvement have been dismissed. The regulatory process has felt less like an objective evaluation and more like a determined effort to find fault.
“The CQC has shown little interest in recognising the extensive work carried out, and Trafford Council has consistently failed to engage constructively with us as a provider.
“In speaking to social workers directly involved with the home, many have privately expressed shock and dismay at the inadequate rating — especially given their first-hand view of how much Prema Court has improved over the past year.
“However, due to a culture of fear, these professionals remain anonymous, reluctant to speak out publicly.
“We are disheartened that a home showing clear progress can still be treated in this manner. We firmly believe the CQC has failed in its duty to operate as an impartial and evidence-led regulator.
“Meanwhile, Trafford Council’s approach reflects a broader systemic issue — where collaboration is replaced with confrontation, and care providers are driven out of operation rather than supported to succeed. The rising number of care home closures in the borough is a worrying symptom of this deeper problem.
“Despite the challenges, we are proud of the transformation we have led at Prema Court and the dedication of our staff throughout this difficult time. It is a tragedy that a punitive system, indifferent to progress, has led to this outcome.
“We remain deeply grateful to our staff, residents, and families who have supported us during this time. Our priority now is to ensure a smooth and dignified transition for all those affected.”
A spokesperson for Trafford Council said: “We are aware of the Care Quality Commission’s inspection report regarding Prema Court Care Home.
“The council and its partners have invested significant time and resources to support improvements at the home. We take all matters relating to care standards extremely seriously, and the safety and wellbeing of residents remains our priority.
“The fact remains that the CQC has rated the home as inadequate and placed it into special measures. As a local authority, we must respect and respond to that judgement.
“We remain committed to working with all partners to support improvement and ensure the best possible outcomes for residents across the borough.
“Trafford continues to have a thriving care home market, with the majority of homes rated good or outstanding by the CQC.”