Birmingham care home ordered to close

Sep 18 2008 Exclusive, By Adam Smith

BIRMINGHAM City Council chiefs have decided to shut a private care home for the elderly after “serious and continuing adult protection issues”.

West Midlands Police revealed they are investigating an allegation of neglect at the Valley Nursing Home, in Perry Barr.

A police spokesman said: “West Midlands Police have been working with Birmingham City Council social services and BCEN PCT concerning a complaint of neglect at the Valley Nursing Home.”

Birmingham City Council and the NHS suspended new placements at the new home in July but the failure of the home to implement an improvement action plan forced a decision to remove all patients from the 59-bed Aldridge Road premises.

A Birmingham City Council spokesman said: “The council is giving the required notice of its intention to cease contracting with the provider and will see the residents moved out of the home over the next three months.

“It is the result of serious and continuing adult protection issues.”

Peter Hay, Strategic Director of Adults and Communities for the council, was damning about the home.

He said: “The Valley Nursing Home is not a sustainable environment for the care of Birmingham citizens.

“When care providers consistently fail to provide and sustain basic standards of care so that the safety and dignity of vulnerable people are at risk, we will not hesitate to act.

“It is also vital that anyone who has concerns about the standard of care in any home, they should inform the council.”

And Mr Hay claimed the improvement action plan the home tried to implement had failed.

He said: “We are not satisfied that its action plan combined with a poor track record of past improvement could ensure that an acceptable level of care would be provided.

“I understand this will be a difficult time for those living there but standards of care have to be met and this council will not compromise on the safety and dignity of people in care – whether funded by the local authority or by themselves.”

He promised that as residents are gradually moved out over the next three months, the home will be closely watched.

He said: “We will monitor closely activities at The Valley Nursing Home, and will not hesitate to immediately move residents out if we feel the level of care becomes unsatisfactory.

“Every resident will be given a full assessment of their needs so that appropriate permanent accommodation can be found.”

Birmingham East and North Primary Care Trust has been working closely with the council concerning the Valley.

Chief operating officer for BEN PCT, Andrew Donald, said: “BEN PCT is committed to maintaining the highest standards of care for all residents, especially those elderly and frail who are most vulnerable.

“The PCT is in full agreement with the decision taken with Birmingham City Council to decommission services from the Valley Nursing Home.”

Residents, their families and the owners of the home have all been informed about the decision.

The Valley’s owner, Sheila Smith, has refused to comment concerning the allegations and the council’s decision to remove all residents from the home.

Residents will be relocated in phases and the council promised the home would be stringently monitored to ensure the safety of everyone.

The Birmingham Mail revealed the problems concerning the nursing home and the treatment of 86-year-old war hero Fred Taylor, who broke his hip after a fall onoly to be left in bed overnight in agony.