CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Aaron Grange Care Home
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the home was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
What inspectors found, May 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found that a COVID-19 outbreak and infection risks were being managed safely.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 21 April 2022. It focused on infection prevention and control during the COVID-19 response. Inspectors also asked about staffing pressures.
The home had recently experienced a COVID-19 outbreak. Inspectors found that it was managed in line with government guidance. Visitors followed health checks, hand sanitising and mask requirements, and people were admitted only after a negative PCR test.
Inspectors found good supplies and safe use of personal protective equipment. Staff had infection control training. The home and its equipment were clean, with high-touch areas cleaned several times a day.
The service was inspected but not rated. This was not a full inspection of all five areas of care, so the report does not provide an overall quality rating.
Outbreak management
The recent COVID-19 outbreak was managed in line with government guidance.
“The outbreak was safely managed in line with government guidance.” from the report
Visitor information
Visitors were given updates about visiting arrangements, and relatives were contacted during the outbreak about people's wellbeing.
“Visitors were kept informed about visiting arrangements and staff had contacted them during the outbreak to keep them informed about the wellbeing of their relative.” from the report
Protective equipment
Staff had up-to-date infection control guidance and training, with enough protective equipment available. Inspectors found it was used and disposed of safely.
“There was a good stock of PPE available to staff and they used and disposed of it safely.” from the report
Clean environment
The home and its equipment were kept clean and hygienic. High-touch areas were cleaned at intervals throughout the day.
“All parts of the home and equipment were kept clean and hygienic.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What infection prevention and control arrangements are in place now, and how are they checked?
- 02What would happen to visiting arrangements if there were another infection outbreak?
- 03How do you manage staffing pressures caused by COVID-19 or other staff sickness?
- 04Are new admissions still required to follow the current testing and infection control process?
- 05How often are high-touch areas and other parts of the home cleaned?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control and staffing pressures; the service was inspected but not rated and the other care areas were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 12 May 2022 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
What inspectors found, February 2020
Aaron Grange Care Home is rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, but some care records were not accurate.
Inspectors visited without notice on 15 January 2020. They spoke with people living in the home, family members and staff. They also observed care and checked care records, medicines records, staff files and quality checks.
All five areas were rated Good. Inspectors found enough trained staff, safe medicine management, clean surroundings and good support with food, healthcare and personal choices. People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect, and care was adapted to their needs.
The main weakness was record keeping. Some care plans and monitoring charts did not accurately show people's changing needs or the care given. Inspectors recommended that records should be kept more accurately, although they found no impact on people's care at the time.
Safe staffing
Inspectors found enough staff with the right skills and experience to meet people's needs safely.
“There were enough suitably skilled and experienced staff to meet people's needs and keep them safe.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff built positive relationships with people, respected their privacy and dignity, and supported their independence.
“Staff treated people well and respected their privacy, dignity and independence.” from the report
Personalised support
Staff learned about people's interests, backgrounds and preferences, and used this information in daily care.
“Staff took time to get to know people's preferences and used this knowledge to care for them in the way they liked.” from the report
Good response to concerns
People and families knew how to complain. The home recorded complaints and used them to make improvements.
“A record of complaints was maintained and showed they were listened and responded to.” from the report
Care records were not always accurate
needs fixingSome care plans did not reflect changes in people's needs. Food and fluid charts and air mattress records were also not always completed properly.
“We found examples where care plans had not been updated to reflect changes in people's needs.” from the report
Quality checks missed record problems
needs fixingThe home's monitoring systems did not always identify gaps in care records. The manager said the records would be reviewed and updated.
“However, they were not always effective in identifying a lack of record keeping.” from the report
Dementia-friendly surroundings could improve
minorThe home had signs and equipment to help people, but inspectors said the colours and activities in the environment needed more consideration for people living with dementia.
“Colour schemes and the use of items to promote stimulation and interaction required consideration to better meet the needs of people living with dementia.” from the report
Manager was not yet registered
minorThere was a manager in post, but they were not registered with CQC at the inspection. An application had been made.
“The current manager is not yet registered with CQC; however, they had applied to CQC to become the registered manager.” from the report
- 01What changes have you made to ensure care plans are updated when people's needs change?
- 02How do you now check that food, fluid and air mattress monitoring records are completed accurately?
- 03Has the manager's application to become registered with CQC been completed?
- 04What have you done to improve the colours, stimulation and activities for people living with dementia?
- 05How will you show families that quality checks are identifying and fixing record-keeping problems?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five rating areas, including both the care provided and the home environment. This explanation was written from the published report of 29 February 2020 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
Every inspection of Aaron Grange Care Home
3 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- May 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- February 2020Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- June 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- September 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 2 December 2010.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission, Open Government Licence v3.0. A home can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections.
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