Nest Healthcare, a self-described “exclusive, specialist rehabilitation and wellness clinic” located in Clacton-on-Sea, has been deemed inadequate by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and subsequently placed in special measures. The facility, operated by Paradise Lodge Care Home Ltd on Arnold Road, faced criticism for various shortcomings discovered during a recent inspection.
The CQC inspection highlighted significant deficiencies in the areas of safety, effectiveness, responsiveness, and leadership. Notably, staff at the Essex-based facility lacked substance abuse-specific training, and the risk assessment processes were deemed “poor.” Despite the clinic advertising a bespoke substance abuse rehabilitation service, the absence of essential medical supplies, such as EpiPens and naloxone, raised concerns regarding the facility’s preparedness to counteract the effects of illicit drugs and harmful substances.
During the inspection conducted on September 27, 2023, it was revealed that four out of the five available bedrooms were occupied. The report from the Local Democracy Reporting Service emphasized that care plans were inadequately tailored to individual client needs, lacking a personalized, holistic, or recovery-oriented approach.
The CQC further noted that both the blood pressure machine and alcometer, recently purchased at the time of inspection, were not calibrated, rendering them unusable. Liver function tests were not routinely conducted, and staff were ill-equipped to assess potentially lethal withdrawal symptoms, such as alcohol withdrawal seizures.
Inspectors expressed concern over the leadership, stating, “Leaders lacked the skills, knowledge, and experience to perform their roles. They did not have a good understanding of the services they managed.” However, the physical facility itself was acknowledged as “clean, well-furnished, and fit for purpose,” with an emphasis on respecting patients’ “privacy and dignity.”
Nest Healthcare, operated by Paradise Lodge Care Home Ltd, has yet to provide a comment in response to the CQC’s findings.
