CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Jacobs Neurological Centre
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, December 2022
Jacobs Neurological Centre was rated Good; inspectors found safe care and stronger management, but some records and reviews needed improvement.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 14 November 2022. Inspectors looked at whether the home was safe and well-led, including infection control. They spoke with people, relatives, staff and outside professionals, and reviewed care records, medicines records, training records, audits and equipment.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Well-led. Inspectors found that medicines were managed safely, risks were assessed, staffing was enough, and people felt safe. Infection control arrangements were also found to be suitable, and people could have unrestricted visits from family and friends.
There were areas needing attention. Some complex care records were difficult to understand quickly, some best-interest discussions were not clearly recorded, and environmental audits had not always been completed consistently. The overall rating remained Good because the other three ratings were carried forward from the previous inspection in 2018.
Safe medicines
Medicines were stored, recorded and administered safely. The home had changed its procedures after concerns about medicines given through feeding tubes.
“People's medicines were managed in line with current best practice guidance.” from the report
Managing health risks
The home had plans and equipment for complex needs such as ventilators, blocked airways and tracheostomy tubes. People at risk of pressure ulcers received preventive care.
“People at risk of pressure ulcers received appropriate care and support.” from the report
Enough staff
Inspectors saw a busy but calm service where care was not rushed. Recruitment checks were carried out before staff started work.
“The provider operated a robust recruitment process which included appropriate checks to help ensure staff were suitable to work in a care setting.” from the report
Learning and complaints
The home reviewed incidents, accidents, complaints and outside feedback. Lessons were shared with staff, and complaints were recorded and followed up.
“The provider had a robust system ensuring any complaints were clearly recorded, investigated and followed up.” from the report
Family visits
People could have friends and family visit freely, including in communal areas or their rooms, subject to infection control measures.
“People told us they were able to have friends and family visit them freely.” from the report
Complex records
needs fixingCare records covered many complex needs but were difficult to understand quickly. This could make it harder for new or temporary staff to find important information.
“Due to the complex health conditions people lived with we found records were extensive, and hard to see "at a glance".” from the report
Reviewing restrictive practices
needs fixingThe management team was reminded to review restrictive practices regularly and ensure they were used only when needed and when less restrictive options had not worked.
“We discussed with the management team the importance of reviewing these restrictive practices regularly, and ensure they were only used when needed, and only if less restrictive practices were not effective.” from the report
Environmental audits
minorEnvironmental audits had not been completed consistently. The home had started a plan to improve completion rates over three months.
“The governance system identified environmental audits had not been completed consistently.” from the report
- 01Has the electronic care planning system been introduced, and can staff quickly find the key information about my relative's complex needs?
- 02How are best-interest, end-of-life and resuscitation decisions recorded and shared with relatives?
- 03How often are any restrictive practices reviewed, and what less restrictive options are considered first?
- 04Have environmental audits been completed consistently since the inspection, and what happens when a shortfall is found?
- 05How will the home meet my relative's specific neurological, nursing and rehabilitation needs?
This was an unannounced focused inspection of Safe and Well-led, with infection control included; the other three ratings were carried forward from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 22 December 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.
Every inspection of Jacobs Neurological Centre
3 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- December 2022Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2022Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- April 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- June 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2022
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 1 July 2022.
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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