Poulton care home with 100 residents given notice to improve by Care Quality Commission

Alexandra Nursing Home in Moorland Road, Poulton-le-Fylde is a service that can support up to 117 older people, people living with dementia and or a physical disability.

This week, a report about an inspection carried out in July has been made public. At the time of the assessment 100 people were living at the home, and the CQC said it made the visit following “information of concern received about staffing levels, training, the management of people’s health needs, and the cleanliness of the home”.

What was found?

The report states: “At this assessment we found three breaches of the legal regulations in relation to staffing levels, safe care and treatment and governance. Staffing levels were not consistently adequate to ensure people’s safety and meet their needs. Medicines were not consistently managed safely. People did not always have correct information in their care plans to guide safe practice. Governance systems and audits were not always effective in identifying or addressing areas for improvement.”

Positives

Positives were also noted by inspectors. They said that Alexandra Nursing Home was separated into four different areas, known as communities, with each community having a community manager. The report states: “People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected their privacy and dignity. They treated people as individuals and supported their preferences. People were supported to maintain relationships with family and friends.”

They also said that staff were aware of their responsibilities to raise concerns with the safeguarding authorities if they felt people were at risk of harm or abuse. Information on safeguarding was available to people and those who were important to them, so they could raise concerns externally if they wished to do so.

The report adds: “People had enough to eat and drink to stay healthy. Staff worked with all agencies involved in people’s care for the best outcomes and to support smooth transitions when moving between services. They monitored people’s health to support healthy living. Staff made sure people understood their care and treatment to enable them to give informed consent. Staff involved appropriate specialists to help make important decisions that were in people’s best interests.”

The CQC has asked the provider - Bayswood Care Group - for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this inspection.

Bayswood Care Group has been approached for a comment.