Second Castlebeck facility to close

A second learning disability service run by Castlebeck is to shut after safeguarding concerns, in the wake of the Winterbourne View abuse scandal and significant criticisms of the company’s management and safety standards.

Thirty staff will be made redundant when Rose Villa care home in Bristol shuts, which will happen when its five residents are found new placements. The manager and three other members of staff have already been suspended after safeguarding concerns.

Castlebeck was forced to close Winterbourne View hospital, also in Bristol, after BBC Panorama broadcast incidents of alleged abuse in May and the Care Quality Commission took enforcement action.

Lee Reed, chief executive of Castlebeck, said the closure of Rose Villa was not instigated by the CQC, despite the regulator initiating enforcement proceedings at the home after an inspection found residents were not always safeguarded against abuse.

“The service is being closed purely for operational reasons,” he said.

“While we recognise the concerns raised in the recent CQC inspection report, our decision has resulted from the fact that, in reviewing operational practicalities, Rose Villa would be left on its own in the South West – some distance from the support that could be provided by our services in the West Midlands.”

Reed is overhauling the management of Castlebeck after the CQC said there were inadequate quality assurance systems in place.

Its report said: “While there are local systems in place to monitor and assess the quality of service provision, it was not clear how changes are made in line with current guidance, local systems, and feedback from patients and people who use services to improve either service delivery or provision.”

Reed blamed overstretched regional management and is bringing in 10 more managers.

Rose Villa was one of four Castlebeck settings where the CQC said it would take enforcement action after it reviewed all the provider’s services.

Besides safeguarding failings, it found that the home restricted residents’ liberty and medicines were not managed properly.

Staff will be able to apply for other jobs in Castlebeck, while a “planned process of transition” had begun for the residents.

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