CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Sharston House Nursing Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured that the home was managing infection risks, including testing, protective equipment, visiting, admissions, hygiene and outbreak planning. The provider also described measures to manage COVID-related staffing pressures.
- 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, February 2022
Sharston House Nursing Home was inspected but not rated; inspectors found strong COVID-19 infection control arrangements.
The inspection took place on 20 January 2022 and was announced with 24 hours’ notice. It was a targeted inspection focused on infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and COVID-related staffing pressures.
Inspectors found policies and plans for managing COVID-19, including regular testing, visitor screening, personal protective equipment, zoning and separate entrances. They were assured that infection risks were being managed in several important areas.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the report does not give an overall quality rating or a full assessment of all five areas of care.
COVID-19 planning
The home had detailed procedures for managing COVID-19, including what to do when someone tested positive.
“The home had comprehensive policies and procedures to manage any risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.” from the report
Testing and visitor checks
Regular testing was in place for residents, staff, essential carers and visitors. Visitors had to complete screening checks before entering.
“A programme of regular COVID-19 testing for both people in the home, staff, essential carers and visitors to the home was implemented.” from the report
Protective equipment
There was enough personal protective equipment and hand sanitiser. Inspectors saw staff using protective equipment correctly.
“There was an ample supply of PPE for staff and any visitors to use.” from the report
Reducing infection spread
The home was divided into four areas, with separate entrances for staff and visitors. Staff considered vulnerable to COVID-19 were kept away from areas where residents had tested positive.
“Zoning was in place and the home was split into four distinct areas to minimise risk of spreading infection.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are you managing COVID-19 or other infection risks now?
- 02What testing and screening arrangements are currently used for staff, visitors and residents?
- 03How would you maintain staffing and continuity of care if staff were absent because of an infection outbreak?
- 04How are visits currently arranged, and what checks are required before visitors enter?
- 05How do you separate areas and staff if a resident tests positive for an infection?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and COVID-related staffing pressures; the service was inspected but not rated and other areas were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 2 February 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 2019
Sharston House Nursing Home was rated Good; inspectors found kind, safe care, with some records and building improvements still needed.
This was an unannounced, comprehensive inspection on 26 and 27 February 2019. Inspectors reviewed care records, medicines, staff files, training, complaints, risk assessments and quality checks. They spoke with people living in the home, relatives and staff, and observed people who could not speak with them.
The overall rating was Good. Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led were all rated Good. Inspectors found people were safe, treated with kindness and dignity, supported to make choices, and offered personalised care and a wide range of activities.
The report also identified areas to improve. Some care records needed more detail, two bedrooms had unpleasant odours, signage was limited, and the improvement plan did not include all areas found during the inspection. The home was asked to research local advocacy and mediation services.
People felt safe
People said they felt safe and secure. Inspectors found risk assessments, safeguarding arrangements and medicines processes were in place.
“People at the service told us that they felt 'safe' at Sharston House.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
Staff supported people patiently and sensitively. Inspectors saw them protect privacy, ask permission and offer reassurance.
“We observed staff patiently offering reassurance maintaining good eye contact and speaking sensitively to people.” from the report
Personalised activities
The home offered many activities and adapted support to people's interests and abilities. Inspectors saw people enjoying activities and gave examples of help to stay connected with family.
“We saw a lot of evidence of a wide variety of meaningful activities such as, trips out; playing games such as dominos; hairdressing/manicures” from the report
Good partnership working
Health professionals worked with the home to support people's recovery and clinical needs. Inspectors received positive feedback about communication and timely responses.
“The staff worked with NHS staff on a daily basis such as physiotherapists to help them with specialised clinical care” from the report
Learning from complaints
The home recorded complaints, responded to them and looked for patterns and lessons. People were given information about how to complain.
“The complaints log detailed any comment made and the actions taken to address concerns appropriately.” from the report
Some care plans lacked detail
needs fixingOne care plan did not fully describe how staff supported behaviour that could be difficult. The manager updated it during the inspection, but the report also said records needed to show when care was refused.
“The plan had limited information and did not include all of the actions staff took to support the person” from the report
Care plans were not available on hand-held devices
needs fixingStaff could record care on hand-held mobiles but told inspectors they could not view care plans on them. The manager said training would be provided, as there was a risk care could become task-focused.
“The risk for the service was that care could potentially become task orientated rather than being focused on a holistic personalised approach.” from the report
Building presentation and navigation
minorTwo bedrooms had unpleasant odours and the building needed ongoing upgrading and maintenance. Signage was limited, which could make it easy to become disorientated.
“There was limited signage inside the building and it was easy to get disorientated.” from the report
Advocacy support
minorThe home was advised to research local advocacy and mediation services to support people who needed help to represent their views.
“We recommend the service research local advocacy and mediation services to help them with any issues needing support to represent people living at the service.” from the report
- 01How do staff now view each person's care plan while providing care, without needing to use a separate laptop?
- 02How do you record when a person refuses specific care, and how is this information reviewed?
- 03What action has been taken about the two bedrooms with unpleasant odours?
- 04What improvements have been made to signage so people can find their way around the building?
- 05Have local advocacy and mediation services been identified, and how can residents access them?
This was a planned, unannounced comprehensive inspection covering the whole service and all five CQC questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 22 March 2019 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 Sharston House Nursing Home
3 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- February 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- March 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- May 2016Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- December 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 4 January 2011.
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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