CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Corbett House Nursing Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found that risks were assessed and monitored, medicines were managed safely, infection control had improved and staffing levels met people's needs. The previous breach of Regulation 12 had been resolved.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's needs were assessed and reviewed. Staff were trained, supported people's eating and drinking, involved other health professionals and followed the Mental Capacity Act.
- Caring?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Management and quality checks had improved, and the previous breach of Regulation 17 had been resolved. The manager was continuing to develop audits and checks.
What inspectors found, October 2023
Corbett House Nursing Home is rated Good; inspectors found safer medicines management, improved premises and better oversight after an earlier Requires Improvement rating.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 21 September 2023. Inspectors, a nurse specialist adviser and an Expert by Experience observed care, spoke with people, relatives, staff and a health professional, and checked care, medicine, recruitment and management records.
The home had improved since the previous inspection. Medicines were stored and given safely. Environmental risks, such as exposed wires, had been dealt with. The home was clean, infection control arrangements were in place, and staffing levels met people's needs.
People's needs were assessed and reviewed. Staff knew people well, supported their choices, helped with food and drinks, and involved health professionals when needed. The service was working within the Mental Capacity Act.
The overall rating changed from Requires Improvement to Good. The previous breaches of Regulations 12 and 17 had been addressed. This inspection covered Safe, Effective and Well-led only. The other ratings were carried over from the previous inspection.
Medicines managed safely
Medicines were stored in a temperature-controlled clinic room and checked regularly. A new administration system was reported to be working well.
“People's prescribed medicines, including topical creams were now being consistently stored and monitored in a new clinic room with temperature control.” from the report
Improved safety and cleanliness
The home had dealt with environmental hazards and made major improvements to its premises, including a new kitchen. Inspectors were assured about infection prevention and control.
“The provider had made significant improvements since our last inspection. For example, a new kitchen had been fitted.” from the report
Enough staff
Inspectors saw staff respond when people needed help. Staffing levels were monitored and adjusted when people's needs changed.
“Staffing arrangements meant people did not have to wait for assistance.” from the report
Good support with food and drink
Staff understood people's dietary preferences, offered choices and monitored weight and food or fluid intake where needed.
“Staff offered people choices and provided people with snacks and drinks between mealtimes.” from the report
Audits still developing
minorThe manager was completing audits and checks, but said these would be developed further to make the oversight systems more robust.
“The manager completed a range of audits and checks relating to the service. The manager told us these would be further developed to drive through improvements.” from the report
Manager registration pending
minorThere was a manager in post, but no registered manager at the time of the inspection. An application to register had been submitted.
“At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post.” from the report
Some risk assessments to be enhanced
minorThe provider and manager said they planned to improve the risk assessments further, including those relating to smoking.
“The provider and manager told us they would further enhance the risk assessments currently in place. For example, in relation to smoking.” from the report
- 01What progress has been made with the manager's application to register with the CQC?
- 02What further changes are planned to the audits and checks, and how will you show that these improvements are working?
- 03How are risks relating to smoking assessed and reviewed for each person?
- 04How does the new medicines administration system work, and how are daily, weekly and monthly checks recorded?
- 05What refurbishment work is still planned, and how will it affect people living in the home?
This was a focused inspection of Safe, Effective and Well-led, including infection prevention and control under Safe; Caring and Responsive were not inspected and their previous ratings carried over. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 October 2023 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, June 2023
Requires Improvement; inspectors found kind and effective care, but medicines, environmental safety and management checks were not reliable enough.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 11 and 12 May 2023. Inspectors spoke with people, relatives and staff, observed care, and checked care records, medicine records, recruitment files and management records.
The home was rated Requires Improvement overall. Safe remained Requires Improvement because some medicines were not stored or managed safely, environmental risks such as exposed wires had not been dealt with, and some cleanliness problems remained. Well-led also remained Requires Improvement because quality checks had not led to timely action. There was no registered manager in post, and the new manager and deputy manager had only been in post for a few days.
Effective improved from Requires Improvement to Good. Inspectors found that people's needs were assessed, staff understood their care needs, people were supported with food and drink, and people could access health care. The previous inspection had also found breaches of Regulations 12 and 17, and the provider remained in breach at this inspection.
Staff available
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs. Relatives said staff were available and people did not have to wait long for help.
“Staffing arrangements met people's needs. During the inspection we saw staff were present in communal areas.” from the report
Effective care
People's needs, preferences and health conditions were recorded. Staff had relevant training and understood people's individual support needs.
“People's needs had been assessed. This included likes, dislikes, preferences, health and support needs and routines.” from the report
Food and drink
People were offered choices, alternatives, snacks and drinks. Staff supported people to eat and drink according to their needs.
“People were supported to maintain a balanced diet. Where required staff assisted people with eating and drinking in line with their support needs and preferences.” from the report
Safeguarding
Staff understood how to recognise, record and report possible abuse. People told inspectors they felt safe.
“People were protected from the risk of abuse. Staff had received safeguarding training and understood their responsibility to keep people safe and to record and report any concerns.” from the report
Medicine management
seriousSome medicines were kept in a room without temperature controls, some had expired, and one person's pain relief was not in stock. Inspectors found no evidence that anyone had been harmed, but said the risk was not managed safely.
“The provider's systems and processes to safely manage people's medicines were not always safe on the first floor of the home.” from the report
Environmental safety and cleanliness
seriousInspectors found exposed wires and areas that were not clean. They also found problems in the kitchen, including a dirty extractor fan, a rusty fridge and stained pans.
“The provider had failed to assess and identify other potential risks to people and staff's health and safety. For example, there were exposed wires.” from the report
Weak management checks
seriousAudits had identified medicine storage problems, but these had not been resolved. Some issues from the previous inspection also remained, so the provider was still in breach of good governance requirements.
“Despite some improvement, governance systems and oversight were still not robust which put people at risk of harm.” from the report
- 01What has been done to make sure every medicine is stored at the correct temperature, within its expiry date and available when needed?
- 02How have the exposed wires and the kitchen cleanliness problems been fixed, and when were these fixes checked?
- 03What new checks make sure problems found in medicine audits and accident or incident records are acted on promptly?
- 04Who is currently responsible for running the home while there is no registered manager, and when will the manager registration position be resolved?
- 05What progress has been made since the inspection action plan, and can the home show evidence of the improvements?
This was a focused inspection of Safe, Effective and Well-led; Caring and Responsive were not inspected and the overall rating also used ratings from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 21 June 2023 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 Corbett House Nursing Home
6 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- October 2023Goodcurrent ratingup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2023Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- February 2023Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementWell-led: Inadequate
- September 2020Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- November 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2016Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- May 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- June 2013
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 12 June 2013.
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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