The lift situation at Mum's NH was eventually resolved, but now a different one has come to the fore, and I need some counsel please.
The residents on Mum's first floor use a small conservatory on the first floor as a lounge during the day. It isn't part of the original footprint of the building, and was added on at some point, I assume, to increase occupancy. However the roof leaks, this has been a recurring problem since Mum moved in in the autumn of 2016 and of course I was not apprised of this when I viewed the home prior to Mum moving in. Anyway, with the heavy rain in the north west yesterday and today, the rainwater has been coming in to the extent that this 'lounge' has been closed, so my Mum and the other residents that use the lounge are confined to their rooms, of to the landing area. It is an EMI NH, all residents are in the later stages of dementia, none are mobile, and all have need of airflow cushions, powered by electricity. So, you can see the health and safety issue here for residents.
I have challenged this situation before with the Matron, and I have contacted the Area Manager of the group by phone, and it was raised at the last two relatives meetings I attended last year and assurances were given that maintenance work was going to be carried out. And there was some maintenance work done, but clearly it has not resolved the issue. Moreover, earlier this year when my brother visited on a rainy day, he took photos of the water pooling on the floor, and contacted the owners by email with photographs and the usual assurances that remedial action was imminent. Shortly afterwards scaffolding appeared at the NH, so I was hopeful that they were going to carry out exterior repairs, but it transpired that this was for solar panels to be placed on the roof!!
Do I now contact CQC? I think it intolerable. What does concern me if I do this is the possibility that there might be a backlash of some sort that jeopardises Mum's residency, although as a self funder, I'm sure they wouldn't want to lose out on Mum's fees. Moreover if I get CQC involved they make it clear they do not handle complaints.
The residents on Mum's first floor use a small conservatory on the first floor as a lounge during the day. It isn't part of the original footprint of the building, and was added on at some point, I assume, to increase occupancy. However the roof leaks, this has been a recurring problem since Mum moved in in the autumn of 2016 and of course I was not apprised of this when I viewed the home prior to Mum moving in. Anyway, with the heavy rain in the north west yesterday and today, the rainwater has been coming in to the extent that this 'lounge' has been closed, so my Mum and the other residents that use the lounge are confined to their rooms, of to the landing area. It is an EMI NH, all residents are in the later stages of dementia, none are mobile, and all have need of airflow cushions, powered by electricity. So, you can see the health and safety issue here for residents.
I have challenged this situation before with the Matron, and I have contacted the Area Manager of the group by phone, and it was raised at the last two relatives meetings I attended last year and assurances were given that maintenance work was going to be carried out. And there was some maintenance work done, but clearly it has not resolved the issue. Moreover, earlier this year when my brother visited on a rainy day, he took photos of the water pooling on the floor, and contacted the owners by email with photographs and the usual assurances that remedial action was imminent. Shortly afterwards scaffolding appeared at the NH, so I was hopeful that they were going to carry out exterior repairs, but it transpired that this was for solar panels to be placed on the roof!!
Do I now contact CQC? I think it intolerable. What does concern me if I do this is the possibility that there might be a backlash of some sort that jeopardises Mum's residency, although as a self funder, I'm sure they wouldn't want to lose out on Mum's fees. Moreover if I get CQC involved they make it clear they do not handle complaints.