According to the Care Quality Commission (CQC), residents at Blackwater Mill suffered from ‘organisational abuse and neglect.’
The closure was initially ordered after an inspection in March 2024. Following an appeal, a return inspection took place in January 2025.
It was found that the home had failed to address 9 previous breaches of legal regulations and a further regulation relating to duty of candour had been breached.
Neil Cox, CQC deputy director of operations in the south, said:
“Leaders still didn’t have an effective system in place to monitor incidents or ensure people were protected from abuse.
“They hadn’t reported or investigated multiple occasions where suspected sexual abuse had occurred.
“They also hadn’t taken appropriate action or learned from multiple incidents where people had fallen or had experienced choking.”
Inspectors witnessed multiple cases of neglect and abuse, including:
- A resident with choking risks, found eating cold porridge in bed with their hands after not being given cutlery.
- Residents being woken up at midnight for medication that was meant to be given at 8pm.
- A resident having food spooned into their mouth whilst they were half asleep, causing distress and potential choking hazards.
Alongside this, there were many safety concerns, including fire doors being unsafe and medicine and food not being managed safely.
A Blackwater Mill statement says:
“We acknowledge the findings… and recognise the concerns raised.
“The well-being of our residents has always been our highest priority, and we have worked closely with the local authority and CQC to address key areas, including staffing, training, and care planning.
“While significant efforts have been made, after careful consideration, we made the difficult decision to withdraw our appeal and proceed with the planned closure of the home.”
Further reading
Elderly care and care home abuse claims – Oakwood Solicitors
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Author: Aditi Zamvar
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