Unsafe ‘damp, mouldy’ High Peak care home served warning notice by Care Quality Commission

Hollin Knowle Residential Care Home on Fairfield Road, Buxton was visited by the health watchdog in August and the report has now been published with the facility being graded as requires improvement.

The CQC said: “We served a warning notice on Mr Mohammed Shamsul Islam and Mrs Shajeda Islam on August, 13 2026 for failing to meet the regulations related to the effective management of fire safety, premises and equipment, water safety, and hygiene, at their Hollin Knowle Residential Care Home.”

The report notes the provider did not have ‘effective systems and processes in place to assess, monitor, and mitigate risks relating to the health, safety and welfare of service users’.

The inspector said: “The provider failed to have effective systems and processes in place to ensure the care home premises were safe.

“For example, there were deficiencies in the safety measures to protect people from encountering potentially scalding water and radiator hot surfaces.

Legionella infection risk mitigation measures were not implemented consistently, the report says and fire safety checks were not being carried out, or recorded, consistently. The inspector said: “Some upstairs windows did not have opening restrictors in place, which meant there was an increased potential risk of people falling from height.

“The provider failed to ensure appropriate standards of hygiene were maintained. For example, black mould was observed in a communal toilet room, and a person’s bedroom showed signs of damp damage on a wall.

“A clinical waste bin outside the building was observed to be over full and uncovered during each of the inspection site visits.”

The provider failed to have effective staff recruitment practices in place and the inspector noted gaps in the information the provider held about staff member’s previous work history and right to work in the United Kingdom.

The report says the care home was in breach of the legal regulations relating to safe care and treatment, premises and equipment, fit and proper persons employed, and governance.

The report states the registered manager told the inspector they would address the damp issue ‘straight away’.

Some areas of the care home were in poor decorative condition and the registered manager told the CQC that the care home was ‘part way through redecoration and refurbishment work’.

The CQC explained that they have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this inspection. There were some positives highlighted and the inspector said: “People were involved in assessments of their needs when they first moved into the care home.

“People had enough to eat and drink to stay healthy.

“People were treated with kindness and compassion.

“Staff protected people’s privacy and dignity, and people were encouraged to maintain relationships with family and friends.

"People told us they were happy with the care they received from the staff and that the staff were kind to them. People told us they liked the food, although some relatives told us the food wasn’t very varied, didn’t always look very appetising, and mealtime support was limited.”

The Buxton Advertiser contacted Hollin Knowle Residential Care Home and they declined to comment.