CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Belong Newcastle-under-Lyme
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Requires improvement
- The inspection looked only at medicines management and health observations on admission. Inspectors found that medicines were managed safely and that improved admission systems were working.
- Effective?
- Good
- Does the care work? Training, consent, food and drink, working with GPs and nurses.
- Caring?
- Good
- Are people treated with kindness and dignity?
- Responsive?
- Good
- Is care built around the person? Care plans, activities, complaints.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Is the home run well? The manager, the culture, how problems get found and fixed.
What inspectors found, June 2022
Belong Newcastle-under-Lyme was inspected but not rated; inspectors found improvements to medicines and admission checks, with its previous Good rating unchanged.
This was an unannounced, targeted inspection on 25 May 2022. Inspectors looked at a specific concern about medicines management and health observations when people were admitted. They spoke with three people and six staff, and reviewed medicine and admission records for three people.
Inspectors found that medicines were being managed safely. An admission checklist had been introduced to collect important information, and staff understood the new process. Diabetes training and daily meetings had also been introduced to help staff identify and manage risks.
This inspection did not cover the whole Safe question or the other four questions. The service was therefore not given a new rating. Its previous overall rating of Good, published in June 2019, remained unchanged.
Safer admission checks
The home had introduced an admission checklist to make sure staff obtained and recorded the information needed to give medicines safely and monitor health.
“An admission checklist had been implemented, which we saw was effective in gaining the required information to administer people's medicines safely and carry out regular health observations.” from the report
Medicines given as needed
People told inspectors they received their medicines as required.
“People told us they received their medicines as required.” from the report
Learning from concerns
The management team had introduced diabetes training, daily reviews of health observations and a briefing so that lessons could be shared across the provider.
“Lessons had been learned to mitigate future risks.” from the report
Previous admission concerns
needs fixingThe inspection followed concerns about whether medicines and health observations were managed safely when people first moved in. Inspectors found improvements, but this was a targeted check rather than a full review.
“Prior to our inspection concerns were raised about the processes in place to ensure people's medicines and health observations were managed safely when they first started to live at Belong Newcastle-under Lyme.” from the report
- 01How is the admission checklist used for every new resident, and who checks that it is complete?
- 02How are medicines and health observations reviewed during a person's first days at the home?
- 03What diabetes training have staff completed, and how is their understanding checked?
- 04What happens in the daily meetings if a person's health observations raise a concern?
- 05How are the lessons from the earlier medicines concerns shared with new and existing staff?
This was a targeted inspection of specific medicines management and health observation concerns on admission, not a full inspection; the previous ratings, including Good overall, were carried forward. This explanation was written from the published report of 16 June 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, March 2021
Rated Good overall, but inspectors found that staffing levels and some medicines arrangements still needed improvement.
Inspectors visited without notice on 25, 27 and 29 January 2021. They visited at night because of concerns about staffing, then returned during the day. They spoke with people, a relative and staff, and checked care, medicines and management records.
People generally felt safe. Risks were assessed and managed, safeguarding systems were in place, and infection control arrangements were satisfactory. However, some people and night staff said people sometimes waited too long for support because staffing levels were stretched.
Medicines were safer than at the previous inspection, but guidance was not always available for topical and pain relief medicines. Some medicines for minor ailments were not in tamper-proof containers. The home was aware of these issues and had plans to address them.
The overall rating was Good. Safe was rated Requires Improvement and Well-led was rated Good. This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led, so the other question ratings came from earlier inspections.
Risk management
People's risks were assessed, regularly reviewed and understood by staff. The home had a proactive falls prevention programme.
“There was a proactive approach to falls management, with a fall prevention programme and an onsite gym instructor” from the report
Safeguarding
Staff understood how to recognise and report abuse. Systems were in place to investigate concerns and protect people.
“Staff knew how to protect people from abuse. They had been trained and were knowledgeable in recognising and reporting abuse.” from the report
Infection control
Inspectors were assured that the home had appropriate arrangements for preventing and managing infection during the pandemic.
“We were assured that the provider was making sure infection outbreaks can be effectively prevented or managed.” from the report
Improved leadership
Quality checks and audits had improved and were identifying issues for action. The management team had clearer oversight of the service.
“Quality assurance processes were now in place and were utilised effectively to monitor the quality and safety of services” from the report
Involving families
Relatives could access their family member's notes remotely and discuss issues with staff or management.
“Relatives felt involved in their family members care as they were able to access their relative's notes remotely.” from the report
Night staffing
needs fixingSome people and night staff said people had to wait for support. The manager said action would be taken to improve night staffing levels.
“It means people are left waiting for support.” from the report
Medicine guidance
needs fixingStaff did not always have guidance available for people receiving topical or pain relief medicines.
“Improvements were still needed to ensure staff consistently had guidance available for people who were administered topical and pain relief medicines.” from the report
Medicine storage
seriousSome medicines for minor ailments were in plastic boxes or on a table in a locked room. Inspectors said non-trained staff might be able to access them.
“This meant there was a risk they could be accessed by non-trained members of staff.” from the report
- 01What are the current staffing levels at night, and how quickly can residents usually get help?
- 02What changes have been made since the inspection to reduce waiting times for support?
- 03Do all residents who use topical or pain relief medicines now have clear, up-to-date guidance?
- 04Are medicines for minor ailments now kept in tamper-proof containers and accessible only to trained staff?
- 05How are the home's audits and action plans checked to make sure identified problems are fully resolved?
This was an unannounced focused inspection of Safe and Well-led, including infection control and checks on earlier Warning Notice requirements; the other question ratings were carried forward from previous comprehensive inspections. This explanation was written from the published report of 4 March 2021 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 Belong Newcastle-under-Lyme
3 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- June 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- March 2021Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2020Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- June 2019GoodSafe: Requires improvementWell-led: Good
- March 2018
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 26 March 2018.
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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