Archived: Croston Park Nursing Home

Updated 1 July 2022

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This included checking the provider was meeting COVID-19 vaccination requirements. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

Two inspectors and a member of the medicines team carried out this inspection.

Service and service type

Croston Park Nursing Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with two people who used the service and four peoples’ relatives about their experience of the care provided to their loved ones. We carried out observations of interactions between people who lived at the home and staff. We spoke with 11 members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager, care workers and domestic staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included five people’s care records and 14 people’s medication records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the registered manager to validate evidence found. We looked at staff training data and reviewed information related to people’s care, including medicines management.

Updated 1 July 2022

About the service

Croston Park Nursing Home is a nursing and residential care home providing personal and nursing care to 45 people at the time of our inspection. The service can support up to 56 people who have a range of residential and nursing needs.

The home is a seventeenth century grade II listed building in its own grounds which has been suitably adapted for its purpose. Bedrooms are located over three floors with lift access to the upper floors. Most of the bedrooms are ensuite. The ground floor includes the dining room and several communal lounge areas and access to the outside garden and grounds.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Medicines were not always managed safely. This placed some people at risk of harm. The provider's systems had not always been effective in identifying and addressing risks related to medicines management.

The provider had made improvements in relation to recruitment practices, which helped to ensure only suitable staff were employed to work at the home. Staff had received training to keep people safe and knew how to report concerns. The home was clean and hygienic. Staff made good use of PPE and followed guidance to manage the risks of COVID-19. The provider used accidents and incidents as a learning opportunity to improve the service.

People were involved in the care planning process which took account of their preferences as well as their needs. Staff were well supported and received training to enable them to meet people’s needs effectively. People were complimentary about the food provision. Where people needed support with eating and drinking, this was provided.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

We found the culture was person-centred and caring. Staff were enthusiastic about their roles and spoke highly of the management team. The provider had made improvements to their quality assurance systems following our last inspection. The service worked with other agencies and engaged with people using the service, their relatives and staff.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (report published 3 September 2021). The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection, we found the provider had made some improvements, but was still in breach of regulations.

The service remains rated requires improvement. This service has been rated requires improvement for the last two consecutive inspections.

Why we inspected

We carried out an unannounced inspection of this service on 12 May and 20 May 2021. Breaches of legal requirements were found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve safe care and treatment, fit and proper persons employed and good governance.

We carried out this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions safe, effective and well-led which contain those requirements.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has remained requires improvement. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively. This included checking the provider was meeting COVID-19 vaccination requirements.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Croston Park Nursing Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

Enforcement

We are mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when considering what enforcement action was necessary and proportionate to keep people safe as a result of this inspection. We will continue to monitor the service and will take further action if needed.

We have identified breaches in relation to medicines management and the effective operation of the provider’s quality management systems at this inspection.

You can see what action we have taken at the end of this full report.

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.