Owner fined after Legionella found at Holy Name Care Home in Hull

By Hull Daily Mail  |  Posted: March 04, 2014

A NORTH Hull care home has been given a £2,500 fine by a health watchdog.
The Care Quality Commission issued Molescroft Nursing Home (Holdings) Ltd with two fixed penalty notices of £1,250 after the company failed to report a positive Legionella test result and the suspension of a manager.
Both penalties relate to Holy Name Care Home in Hall Road, north Hull – one of two homes where the organisation provides care.
Legionella was found in five of nine water samples taken at the home as part of routine testing on September 23.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) says although Molescroft Nursing Home (Holdings) Ltd took action to protect people's safety, they did not report the situation, as required under regulation 18 of the Health and Social Care Act.
Malcolm Bower-Brown, the CQC's regional director for the North, said: "Every provider has a legal duty to ensure it meets national care standards to ensure residents receive the service they are entitled to expect.
"Failure to notify the CQC of serious issues or events that have the potential to impact directly on the safety and welfare of residents is unacceptable.
"Molescroft Nursing Home (Holdings) Ltd has now paid the fine and we will continue to monitor the home closely as part of our regulatory responsibilities."
After the fine for the Legionella test, a second penalty was imposed when Molescroft Nursing Home (Holdings) Ltd failed to notify the CQC of the suspension of a manager, as required under regulation 15 of the Health and Social Care Act.
Both fines have been accepted by the organisation and paid.
Molescroft Nursing Home (Holdings) Ltd issued the following statement: "There was no outbreak of Legionnaires' disease, or any other disease, at Holy Name Care Home.
"Holy Name is a new care home and, at the relevant time, some unoccupied areas had not all been fully commissioned, which led to some routine tests for Legionella coming back positive.
"The tests were conducted as a proactive measure and were carried out by a professional third-party company upon the home's request.
"The system was professionally chlorinated at the earliest possibility in order to kill any traces of the disease, which is the appropriate measure to undertake.
"Health and safety at the home is taken very seriously and areas are regularly monitored and cleaned as required within the home's cleaning schedule.
"The home was fined by the CQC for two technical breaches of reporting requirements under the Health and Social Care Act.
"Both fines have now been paid and neither fine related to the presence of Legionnaires' disease, or any other disease, and this was reflected in the low value of the fines.
"For absolute clarity, at no time were the residents of the home at any risk and the home has always acted in an appropriate manner."

Molescroft Nursing Home (Holdings) Ltd also provides care at Beverley Grange Nursing Home in Molescroft, Beverley.