Latest news with #carefacility
BBC News
28-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Plans to convert Barnsley home into care facility rejected
A proposal to convert a family home into a short-stay children's care facility has been rejected by Barnsley application, submitted by Pearl Homecare Ltd, sought permission to change the use of a detached four-bedroom house on Verona Rise, Darfield, into a care home for up to three children at a time. The facility would have operated on a 24-hour basis, with up to six members of staff on site during the day and four Council refused the application on several grounds, including concerns about parking, noise, and the loss of housing in the area. Pearl Homecare highlighted the property's access to public transport and nearby amenities, according to the Local Democracy Reporting also stated the care home would offer short-term support in a comfortable setting, causing little disruption to neighbours. The council received three objections from residents, raising concerns about increased vehicle movements, noise, and a potential impact on property values. The council's highways officers also raised objections, stating the proposal did not provide enough parking for the number of staff expected to be on site. Planning officers concluded that the level of staff activity involved in running the home, particularly during early mornings and late evenings, would create noise and disturbance beyond what is typical for a residential council stressed the importance of preserving such properties to maintain a balanced mix of housing in the borough. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Tadworth care home's 'culture of cover up', coroner says
A coroner says a possible "culture of cover up" at a care facility could lead to further deaths after saying neglect contributed to the death of a 12-year-old Awolaja from Essex died in hospital on 1 June 2023 following a cardiac arrest while unsupervised in her residential care home in Tadworth, Surrey.A coroner has told The Children's Trust (TCT) that if Raihana had been properly observed she would not have died "on the balance of probabilities".Mike Thiedke, the charity's chief executive, said TCT had completed a thorough review of its care and that Raihana's death had a "profound effect on the way we care for, support, and involve the children and families". 'Systemic failures' In 2022, Raihana was placed at Tadworth Court, a residential care facility operated by TCT, and required constant one-to-one supervision, the family's solicitors Leigh Day a prevention of future deaths report to the TCT, the senior coroner for inner west London, Professor Fiona Wilcox, said she had concerns "that there may be culture of cover up at the TCT" as they were avoiding "highlighting systemic failures and learning" which could prevent future coroner said she also had concerns that TCT did not sufficiently communicate with the local authority or families in relation to issues with care and supervision, and that there were also possible staff training Wilcox said families were not being listened to when they raised concerns. On 29 May 2023 Raihana had been left unsupervised for about 15 minutes and her breathing tube became 12-year-old later died of a hypoxic brain injury in hospital and the coroner gave a conclusion of death by natural causes contributed to by Wilcox said Raihana's allocated carer left the unit to do an administrative task and handed her care to a nurse due to go off five minutes later her care was again handed over to a another nurse who did not supervise the 12-year-old as she was caring for another child. 'Gross failure' Raihana's allocated nurse returned to find she had gone into cardiac arrest and the alarm was Wilcox said: "This failure to adequately observe her was a gross failure in care by the nursing staff."Following Raihana's death, TCT undertook an investigation which failed to uncover what had happened or to understand the cause of her death, the coroner mother Latifat Kehinde Solomon had also raised concerns to TCT several times after seeing her daughter left unsupervised, the coroner said. Mr Thiedke said the charity, which "unreservedly" apologised for its "failings", had made improvements to its staff training and put a new system in place to make sure families were heard."In partnership with our regulators and the wider health care system, we have changed how we monitor and observe children and young people and increased frontline staffing levels," he says it is considering the report and is planning to submit a response outlining the work that had already being taken, and what was going to change in the March 2024 the trust was warned about inconsistent visual checks during overnight observations at the care facility in Tadworth and seven months later similar concerns were flagged again.
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
New Kirklees dementia care centre to open
A new dementia care facility with specially designed "environments" for service users' different needs is launching later. Knowl Park House in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, has been created according to "dementia design principles" that helps patients to keep their independence and continue living at home or with family. The centre can cater for up to 40 people and includes activities such as baking, gardening, massage, crafts and table-top games, said Kirklees Council. A spokesperson told the BBC: "It's well known that the longer you can stay in your own home, the better life you lead for longer." Council leader Carole Pattison said the centre aimed to help service users develop new skills, relearn old ones or find "new ways of doing things".She added that the setting would be informal and relaxed, saying no one would be "jogged along" with activities but would be offered new ways of being to cope in their own homes. The centre is divided into four zones, with different options in each - ranging from peaceful reflection to table tennis to watching a film in the cinema room. A spokesperson from the Dementia Services Development Centre at the University of Stirling, who partnered with the council on the project, said: "Designing for an ageing population, and people living with a diagnosis of a dementia, has never been more important."Incorporating simple, evidence-based, design recommendations can allow individuals living with a diagnosis of dementia to be more independent and can reduce some of the symptoms of a dementia." Pattison said the centre would also offer a break for families and loved ones. "They may have other responsibilities to other family members or a job or just maintaining their own health," she said."So the centre offers that respite - even if just for a few hours."Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
