A Huddersfield care home has been criticised for locking residents in the building.

Valley View Care Home in Lepton installed a number keypad lock on the door in its Poppy Suite dementia unit – locking the residents inside.

Only staff had knowledge of the numbers to unlock the door.

Some people suffering with Alzheimers can be prone to wandering and forgetting how to get home.

But officials from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said the locked doors were a form of unauthorised restraint on residents – illegally depriving them of their freedom – a breach of the Health and Social Care Act.

Valley View Care Home, Wakefield Road, Lepton, Huddersfield.

Carers can apply for Deprivation of Liberty (DoL) orders on people they believe cannot make decisions for themselves.

But CQC officials said they found a poor understanding of the law around DoL orders among staff at the home.

Only 25 of the 66 staff had been trained – all of whom had done the course more than two years earlier.

The report into the home also found people were not given choice and control over the food and drinks they consumed at meal times.

Sue Keiss, manager of the Wakefield Road home, said the CQC had visited previously and had not taken issue with the keypad system, which has been in place since 2010.

New stricter inspections have been taking place at care homes following a landmark court case surrounding DoL orders.

Valley View Care Home, Wakefield Road, Lepton, Huddersfield.

The home released a statement, saying: “The CQC inspection took place on December 8, 2014 using a new regime.

“Our new management team have been working hard over the past few months to address all issues highlighted in the report.

“DoLS authorisations have been requested in the best interests for residents that lack mental capacity who may be restricted from leaving the unit by the keypad located on the Poppy Unit entry/exit door.

“Staff training in DoLS has been implemented and is ongoing.”

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