HELEN and Douglas House hospice has been found to have safety failings by a health watchdog after a young adult died following an incident with a ventilator.

Police investigated following the incident in May 2016 and although the force took no further action, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) was called in to inspect the home.

Following a visit in December inspectors rated the East Oxford hospice for children and young people as 'inadequate' in the safety category and as 'requires improvement' in the leadership category.

An independent investigation into the incident is ongoing, which Helen and Douglas House said would be made public when complete.

Any decisions about disciplinary action for staff involved in the incident – if necessary –will be made once investigations are finished.

Chief executive Clare Periton said action was taken immediately following the incident to protect patients.

She said: "We had been inspected only five months previously and our rating at that time was good in all five areas.

"We have a robust and comprehensive action plan which has been implemented and has been approved by the CQC and shared with the clinical commissioning group.

"Risk assessments have always been a key element of the care we provide but steps have been put in place to make these even more robust."

She added that issues identified by the CQC regarding how the hospice records staff attendance at training had already been addressed.

Helen House was the world's first children's hospice when it opened in 1982 and was followed by Douglas House in 2004 as the first hospice for young adults.

It provides care for children and young adults with life-limiting illnesses and aims to allow them to live as well and fully possible to the end of their lives.

In a report published last week following the inspection, CQC inspectors said: "People who required specific medical support around activities such as breathing, eating and elimination did not always have the necessary risk assessments in place to keep them safe.

"Staff received training and support.

"However the provider did not have an overview of the training matrix and therefore it was difficult to determine whether staff were appropriately trained to carry out their roles.

"The provider did not have overview of staff training and there was lack of leadership around ensuring staff were competent in their roles."

The report added that risks were not always managed and that assessments were not always in place to keep people safe.

One member of staff told inspectors that those working at the hospice were not given training for specific breathing equipment.

But inspectors also said people were protected from the risks of abuse as staff had a good understanding of safeguarding.

The report also noted that relatives of children and young people at the hospice told inspectors that they felt its nurses were 'skilled and knowledgeable' and had been 'exceptional'.

Helen and Douglas House did not release further details about the incident due to the ongoing investigation.