CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Parsons Grange
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People said they felt safe. Inspectors found suitable risk assessments, staffing arrangements, infection control and systems for learning from accidents and incidents, but recommended a review of the timing of medicines.
- Effective?
- Requires improvement
- Some best-interest records were not specific enough. Staff training on the Mental Capacity Act was not frequent enough, and staff had not received training in caring for people with a learning disability or autism.
- Caring?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this focused inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This key question was not inspected during this focused inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found open management, positive staff relationships and effective quality checks. The rating improved from Requires Improvement at the previous inspection.
What inspectors found, March 2023
Parsons Grange is rated Good overall; inspectors found safe care and good leadership, but medicines and staff training needed improvement.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 27 January 2023. Inspectors looked at Safe, Effective and Well-led, including infection prevention and control. They spoke with people, relatives and staff, and reviewed care, medicines, recruitment and management records.
People said they felt safe and were cared for by staff who knew them well. Risk assessments, infection control, staffing arrangements and responses to accidents were generally good. Care plans were personal and included people's preferences and routines.
The main concerns were that some time-specific medicines were given late, sometimes by up to three and a half hours. Staff also needed better training about the Mental Capacity Act, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, learning disability and autism. The home was rated Requires Improvement for Effective.
The overall rating stayed Good. Safe remained Good and Well-led improved from Requires Improvement to Good. Caring and Responsive were not inspected during this visit, so their previous ratings were carried forward into the overall rating.
Clear risk management
Risk assessments were clear and had improved since the previous inspection. Inspectors saw staff following the guidance when helping people to move around.
“Risk assessments were consistent and clear and the guidance that staff should take to mitigate risks was accurately recorded and had improved since the last inspection.” from the report
Personal care planning
Care plans described people's likes, dislikes and daily routines. They were reviewed monthly or sooner when people's needs changed.
“Plans were person centred and contained information covering people's likes and dislikes and a summary of daily routines, including how the person would like the care to be carried out.” from the report
Learning from incidents
The home recorded and investigated accidents and incidents. Managers reviewed patterns and documented actions to reduce the chance of events happening again.
“There was evidence that the management team investigated incidents and accidents appropriately.” from the report
Open leadership
Inspectors found an open and transparent management approach. Staff could raise concerns and said managers listened to them.
“The management team were welcoming and demonstrated an open and transparent approach.” from the report
Late time-specific medicines
seriousSome time-specific medicines were not given when required. Records showed occasions when they were given up to three and a half hours late, which inspectors said could lead to harmful outcomes.
“We reviewed the medicine administration records and identified at times, the time specific medicine had been given up to 3 and a half hours late.” from the report
Mental capacity training
needs fixingSome best-interest decisions were not recorded specifically enough. Staff showed confusion about capacity assessments and best-interest decisions, so further training was recommended.
“There was some confusion regarding capacity assessments and best interest decision making.” from the report
Learning disability and autism training
needs fixingStaff had not received training on supporting people with a learning disability or autism. The manager said training would be provided in the coming weeks.
“Staff had not received training in how to care for people living with a learning disability or autism.” from the report
Meal choices and seasonings
minorSalt, pepper and sauces were not always available or offered at meals. This was raised with the manager, who said they would be offered at every meal.
“Condiments such as salt, pepper and sauces were not always on display and not always offered to people during meals.” from the report
- 01How do you now make sure time-specific medicines are given on time, and how do you check this?
- 02What training have staff completed about the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards?
- 03What training have staff completed about supporting people with a learning disability or autism?
- 04How do you make sure best-interest decisions are recorded clearly and specifically for each person?
- 05How are you checking that people's food preferences, including the use of seasonings, are offered at every meal?
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 were used in the overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 1 March 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, March 2022
Parsons Grange was inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection control and safe COVID-19 arrangements.
The inspection took place on 10 March 2022 and was announced 24 hours in advance. It was a targeted inspection during the COVID-19 response, focused on infection prevention and control and staffing pressures.
Inspectors found that the home was following government guidance. Visitors were given personal protective equipment, vaccination evidence was checked, and people were tested before admission. Staff and residents with COVID-19 symptoms were tested immediately.
The home had an up-to-date infection prevention policy. Inspectors were assured about testing, protective equipment, hygiene, social distancing, safe admissions and managing outbreaks. The service was inspected but not rated, so this report does not provide a full overall quality rating.
Infection prevention
The home followed current guidance to help protect residents and visitors from infection. Visitors were given personal protective equipment.
“We were assured that the provider was preventing visitors from catching and spreading infections.” from the report
Safe admissions
People were tested for COVID-19 before they were admitted. People and staff with symptoms were tested immediately.
“The provider ensured people had been tested for COVID-19 before admitting them into the home.” from the report
Outbreak planning
The home had arrangements to separate people who tested positive and contacted the local health protection team promptly during an outbreak.
“The provider had adapted the premises to allow for cohorting and zoning people if testing positive for COVID-19.” from the report
Vaccination checks
The home checked vaccination evidence for staff and health professionals entering the service, in line with the requirement in force at the time.
“All staff who worked at the home were vaccinated against COVID-19 and the provider had sought evidence of this.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What infection prevention arrangements are in place now, and how have they changed since the March 2022 inspection?
- 02How do you test people and staff when someone develops COVID-19 symptoms?
- 03How would you separate or zone people if there was an infection outbreak?
- 04How do you manage staffing pressures, and did staffing pressures affect care during the period covered by the inspection?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control and COVID-19-related staffing pressures; the service was inspected but not rated and the other quality areas were not assessed in detail. This explanation was written from the published report of 31 March 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 Parsons Grange
2 rated inspections over a year: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- March 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2022Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- December 2021GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- July 2020
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 13 July 2020.
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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78 live-in carers within about an hour of Wokingham
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Most charge £1,020 to £1,260 a week. 71 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“I can truly say that Peter always put Dad at the centre of everything and I know that they found a great friendship in difficult times.”
“Not only has she looked after him beautifully, she has also been great company for him with lively conversation, kindness and humour.”
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