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Greentree Enterprises Limited owners of Clarendon House in Birmingham Road, Allesley, Coventry, pleaded guilty to failing to make arrangements for the recording, handling, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the care home, at Coventry Magistrates Court on 7 May.

This constituted a breach of regulation 13 (2) of the Care Homes Regulations 2001 and the company was fined £1,666 and ordered to pay £600 court costs. The maximum fine for this offence is £2,500.

The case marks the first prosecution brought by CQC the regulator for health and adult social care in England. CQC came into being on 1 April bringing together the work of former regulators the Healthcare Commission (HC), the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and the Mental Health Act Commission (MHAC).

Action was taken against the home owner after it failed to put right the problems relating to the home's management of medicines. Multiple and repeated errors were seen and in one instance a resident did not receive any pain-relieving medication for three days.

The problems were first highlighted by CSCI in July last year and CSCI staff found there were still issues on visits to the home in October 2008, January and March 2009.

However, two days before the hearing at Coventry Magistrates Court CQC inspectors carried out an unannounced inspection at the home, which cares for older people, and found the previous problems had been rectified.

Andrea Gordon, regional director for CQC in the West Midlands, said: "The result of this case sends out a clear message to those providing care services, that if regulations are not followed and the correct standards are not maintained we will take robust action.

"CQC inspected this home two days before the court hearing and was satisfied that the home responsible had put systems in place to guard against this happening again.

"But making sure people receive the best care is CQC's priority and service providers and people who use services alike should be assured that we will act when we find this is not happening."

Notes to editors

For further information contact Louise Grifferty, Regional Communications Manager, Care Quality Commission, on 0121 600 5365 or 07717 422 917 or out of hours contact the CQC duty press officer on on 07917 232 143.

About the CQC

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the (new) independent regulator of all health and adult social care in England. We inspect all health and adult social care services in England, whether they are provided by the NHS, local authorities, private companies or voluntary organisations. We also protect the interests of people detained under the Mental Health Act. We make sure that essential common standards of quality are met everywhere care is provided, from hospitals to private care homes, and we work towards their improvement. We promote the rights and interests of people who use services and we have a wide range of enforcement powers to take action on their behalf if services are unacceptably poor.

Our work brings together (for the first time) independent regulation of health, mental health and adult social care. Before 1 April 2009, this work was carried out by the Healthcare Commission, the Mental Health Act Commission and the Commission for Social Care Inspection.

Our aim is to make sure that better care is provided for everyone, whether it is in hospital, in care homes, in people's own homes, or anywhere else that care is provided.