Margaret Thatcher Infirmary

Updated 20 June 2024

Margaret Thatcher Infirmary is registered to provide accommodation for up to 68 people who require nursing or personal care within the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the home of the Chelsea Pensioners. It is also registered to provide personal care to people, through their domiciliary care service. People who use the service are known as 'pensioners'. Pensioners initially move into accommodation on the ‘long wards’ but may move to other wards if they are assessed as needing more care, due to frailty and healthcare needs. One of the wards specialises in providing care to people living with dementia. We looked at all 5 key questions, but we did not assess all quality statements during this assessment. For those areas we did not assess, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The assessment included onsite and offsite activities and was carried out by 2 inspectors and 1 assessor. We visited the service on 14 and 21 February 2024. During our visits we spoke with and observed several people using the service. We met and spoke with the nominated individual (NI), the manager, senior staff and care staff. We also looked at people’s care records and other information relating to the day to day running of the service. We assessed this service because it had not had a registered manager since March 2023. There had also been concerns raised on behalf of a Pensioner, regarding the quality of care they received. We also noted delays in submitting some statutory notifications. A new manager was in post and their CQC registration was completed on 3 March 2024. We reviewed information regarding the concerns but were unable to substantiate these. The NI provided a satisfactory explanation in respect of a ‘glitch’ that had resulted in a temporary delay of statutory notifications being submitted to CQC. These were subsequently being submitted promptly, as required.

Updated 20 June 2024

People said the Margaret Thatcher Infirmary was a safe, secure place to live and they were treated with kindness and respect by staff. One person told us they felt safe and added, “I can’t go out [alone] anymore. I get dizzy spells. I can go out with staff in a wheelchair.” People told us there were enough staff. One person told us, “There are more than enough staff here, including on weekends and this enables us to do what we want to do, when we want to do it.” People told us their views and wishes were listened to when their care was planned. One person told us, “This place is my anchor, and I haven’t regretted moving in. Staff are excellent and I’m treated as a human being, not a patient.” People told us they had chosen to live in Margaret Thatcher Infirmary and were proud to be doing so. They spoke positively about their experiences and were complimentary about how staff treated them. One person told us, “Magic, I’ve made loads of friends, and the staff are excellent. The best posting I’ve ever had.” Another person added, “So lucky to have a place like this. The staff are wonderful.” A further person said, “This is my home, I couldn’t ask for anything better. Staff are a tonic, and every one of them makes a difference.” People benefitted from having opportunities to speak up and have their voices heard. People said staff were very good at listening and keeping them informed of any changes. People living in the service benefitted from an inclusive and accessible environment, which enabled them to live their lives without prejudice or discrimination.