CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Magna Care Centre
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, September 2022
Rated Good; inspectors found safe care and stronger management, with some earlier medicines-record issues identified and addressed.
This was an unannounced, focused inspection on 30 August 2022. One inspector spoke with people, relatives, staff and health professionals, observed care, and checked care, medicines, staffing and management records.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Well-led. Inspectors found better risk assessments, fire safety checks, medicines management and quality monitoring than at the previous inspection. People said they felt safe, received medicines on time and were well cared for.
The overall rating improved from Requires improvement at the previous inspection. However, this inspection only assessed Safe and Well-led. The other ratings were carried forward from the previous comprehensive inspection.
Improved risk management
The home had strengthened its assessment of environmental and personal risks. Fire safety checks, equipment checks and individual evacuation plans were in place.
“Risk assessments were now robust and effective in identifying risks to people.” from the report
Safe medicines practice
Medicines were given by trained staff who had competency checks. Storage and records for controlled medicines were also checked.
“Medicines were managed safely and were only administered by staff with the relevant training and competency checks.” from the report
Enough staff
Inspectors observed people receiving support in a timely way. Staff and people said there were enough staff available.
“There were enough staff on shift to meet people's needs.” from the report
Supportive culture
People, relatives and staff described the home as friendly, open and supportive. Staff said they felt valued and supported to develop their skills.
“The home had a friendly, professional, open and supportive culture and staff enjoyed working there.” from the report
Stronger oversight
Regular audits covered areas such as medicines, fire safety, infection control and mental capacity. Inspectors said these systems now gave managers effective oversight.
“Management systems and auditing had improved since our last inspection and now provided robust oversight” from the report
Medicines records needed improvement
minorManagement audits had found that some medicines-record information was not detailed enough and opening dates on some eye drops were missing. The report says this was discussed with staff and records were reviewed.
“information on the back of medication records was not detailed enough, open dates on eye drops in trolleys were not always in place.” from the report
- 01How do you now check that medicines records contain all the required information?
- 02How do you make sure opening dates are recorded on eye drops and other liquid medicines?
- 03How do you check that staffing levels remain enough to meet people's needs?
- 04What risk assessments and fire evacuation plans would apply to my relative?
- 05When was the last full inspection of Caring, Effective and Responsive care, and what were those ratings?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the other ratings carried over from the previous comprehensive inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 28 September 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, January 2020
Rated Requires Improvement; inspectors found kind, effective care, but safety checks, medicines and management oversight were not reliable enough.
Inspectors visited on 9 and 10 December 2019. The first day was unannounced and the second was announced. They spoke with people, relatives, staff and a healthcare professional, observed care and meals, and checked care, medicines, staff and management records.
People were treated kindly and received person-centred care. The home supported people's food, healthcare, activities, communication and end of life needs well. People and relatives generally said they felt safe and were happy with the care.
There were important safety problems. Portable heaters were used without a risk assessment, combustible decorations were on some bedroom doors, and two medicines were not safe to use. Care plans and some mental capacity and consent records also needed improvement.
The overall rating was Requires Improvement. Effective, Caring and Responsive were rated Good. Safe and Well-led were rated Requires Improvement. The overall rating had fallen from Good in the previous inspection, while Well-led had fallen from Outstanding.
Kind and respectful care
People said staff knew them well and treated them with kindness, dignity and respect. Staff supported people to make choices and remain as independent as possible.
“People told us staff were consistently kind and caring and had got to know them well.” from the report
Food and healthcare
The home knew people's dietary needs and preferences and supported them to eat and drink. People were also helped to access a range of healthcare professionals when needed.
“People were supported to maintain a well-balanced diet. Their individual dietary needs and preferences were known and met” from the report
Activities and relationships
People could take part in group, community and one-to-one activities. The home also supported contact with relatives and reduced the risk of people becoming isolated.
“People had the opportunity to participate in a wide range of activities.” from the report
Supportive staff culture
Staff described a friendly, open and supportive workplace. The manager was respected and staff said they felt valued.
“The home had a friendly, open and supportive culture with staff telling us they enjoyed their jobs.” from the report
Environmental safety
seriousSix portable heaters were being used without a risk assessment, and they were not covered. Combustible materials on some bedroom doors could have affected fire safety.
“The heaters were not covered and posed an increased risk of burning and scalding to peoples' and visitors' skin.” from the report
Medicine safety
seriousInspectors found one liquid medicine past its expiry date and another with an incorrect pharmacy label that staff had not noticed. Both were removed from use when inspectors raised the issue.
“Another bottle of liquid medicine had an expiry date that had passed. Staff had administered from this bottle after the expiry date.” from the report
Weak management checks
needs fixingThe home's audits did not identify the environmental, medicine, consent and record problems found by inspectors. This meant there was not enough assurance that risks were being controlled.
“Although the management completed regular checks and audits these had not identified the environmental risks to people” from the report
Care and consent records
needs fixingCare plans were sometimes broad and generic rather than recording people's individual care. Some consent had been signed by relatives without the required legal authority, and mental capacity records lacked detail.
“Although people received person-centred care, their care plans did not always convey this approach.” from the report
- 01What action has been taken to make sure portable heaters and bedroom decorations do not create burning or fire risks?
- 02How are medicines now checked for expiry dates, correct labels and safe administration?
- 03How does management check that audits identify safety and medicines problems before they affect residents?
- 04How have care plans been rewritten so they describe each person's individual needs, choices and care?
- 05How do you make sure consent is signed by someone with the correct legal authority when a person cannot make a decision?
This was a planned inspection covering all five key questions, including the care provided and the home environment; the previous ratings were compared with the new inspection findings. This explanation was written from the published report of 14 January 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 Magna Care Centre
4 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- September 2022Goodcurrent ratingup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2020Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- May 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Outstanding
- April 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2013
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 4 July 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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37 live-in carers within about an hour of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
These are self-employed carers on PrimeCarers, the introductory agency that runs this directory. Each has a profile with their own rates and reviews from families, and you choose who to talk to.
Most charge £1,000 to £1,340 a week. 26 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“We could not have managed without her calm, reassuring presence and practical knowledge and skill in caring and supporting both my husband and the family and I.”
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Every carer has had an enhanced DBS check in the last 18 months, ID and right-to-work checks and an online interview. Their skills and training are for you to check with them. Carers set their own rates, and who is free changes week to week.