Updated 25 October 2024
Date of assessment: 14 November 2024 to 20 December 2024. The assessment included 4 visits to the service on 14, 19 and 26 November and 4 December 2024. Thornhill Nursing Home is a care home providing nursing and personal care for up to 42 people, some of whom are living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 37 people living at the service. The inspection was prompted in part by notification of an incident following which a person using the service died. This incident is subject to further investigation by CQC as to whether any regulatory action should be taken. As a result, this inspection did not examine the circumstances of the incident. However, the information shared with CQC about the incident indicated potential concerns about the management of risk of unsafe medicines management. This inspection examined those risks. We identified 6 breaches of regulation relating to safeguarding, safe care and treatment, staffing, person centred care, dignity and respect and good governance. Risks to people were not managed safely. People were not safeguarded from abuse or protected from the risk of infection. Medicines were not managed safely. People did not receive person-centred care and were not always treated with dignity and respect. There were not enough staff to meet people’s needs effectively and not all staff had received the training they required. There was a lack of consistent and effective management. Quality assurance processes were not effective in identifying and addressing areas requiring improvement. People had access to health professionals and the provider was working collaboratively with external stakeholders. People were supported by kind and caring staff. This service is being placed in special measures. The purpose of special measures is to ensure that services providing inadequate care make significant improvements. Special measures provide a framework within which providers must improve the quality of the care they provide.