CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Strathmore Nursing Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, August 2023
Rated Requires Improvement; inspectors found unsafe medicine and risk-monitoring systems, although staff provided kind and responsive support.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 11 and 13 July 2023. Inspectors looked only at Safe and Well-led, after concerns about medicines and staff competencies. They spoke with people, relatives, staff and health professionals, and checked care records, medicines records and management audits.
The home was not always safe. Medicines records and checks were incomplete, some staff competency checks were late, and fire and environmental risk assessments were out of date. Personal information was not always stored securely. Inspectors found no evidence that anyone had been harmed, but said people were at increased risk.
The home was rated Requires Improvement overall, and also Requires Improvement for Safe and Well-led. This is a drop from Good at the previous inspection, published in January 2020. The provider had taken some action, but CQC required an action plan and will monitor progress.
Safeguarding
Staff had safeguarding training and understood how to report concerns. Allegations were passed to the relevant agencies without delay.
“Staff completed safeguarding training as part of their induction and received regular updates.” from the report
Infection control
Inspectors were assured that the home used PPE safely and had arrangements to prevent and manage infections.
“We were assured that the provider was using PPE effectively and safely.” from the report
Listening to concerns
People felt able to raise concerns. Managers investigated complaints and shared outcomes appropriately.
“People felt comfortable raising concerns with managers and were confident they would be listened to.” from the report
Partnership working
The home worked with health and social care professionals, including district nurses and speech and language therapists.
“The registered manager worked closely with other health and social care professionals to ensure people received consistent and timely care.” from the report
Medicine safety
seriousMedicine administration records were incomplete and some checks were missing. Inspectors could not be sure medicines were always given as prescribed.
“Medicines were not always managed safely. Staff administering medicines had not all had their competency checked to ensure they were safe to do so.” from the report
Out-of-date risk assessments
seriousThe fire risk assessment dated from 2017, while environmental risk assessments had not been reviewed since 2014. This meant important risks might not be identified and reduced.
“Environmental risk assessments were written in 2004 and had not been reviewed since 2014.” from the report
Weak management checks
seriousAudits did not consistently identify problems or lead to action. This included failures to check medicine administration and staff competency in good time.
“Systems and processes to monitor the safety and quality of medicine administration and health and safety risks were not always robust.” from the report
Personal information
needs fixingSome care records were not stored securely when not in use. Inspectors recommended that the provider follow current data protection guidance.
“Some people's care records were not always stored securely when not in use.” from the report
- 01What has been changed to make sure every medicine is given, recorded and stored safely?
- 02How do you check that staff are competent to administer medicines, and are all checks now up to date?
- 03Have the fire risk assessment and environmental risk assessments been updated by suitable professionals?
- 04How are medicine and safety audits reviewed, and how do you make sure problems lead to prompt action?
- 05How are people's care records kept secure when they are not being used?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; Caring, Effective and Responsive were not inspected and their previous ratings carried over. This explanation was written from the published report of 2 August 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 2021
Strathmore Nursing Home was inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured about infection control and prevention measures.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 9 February 2021. Inspectors looked specifically at infection control and prevention measures, rather than carrying out a full inspection of the home.
Inspectors were assured that the home managed visitors, admissions, testing, personal protective equipment, social distancing, hygiene and infection outbreaks appropriately. They also found clear signs about handwashing and using protective equipment.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the report does not give an overall quality rating or a separate rating for the other key areas of care.
Visitor safety
Visitors were supported to use protective equipment and clean their hands. Visits were strictly limited, including window visits.
“Visitors were supported to wear PPE and sanitize their hands.” from the report
Protective equipment
Staff wore full protective equipment in the home, and there were designated areas for putting it on and taking it off.
“Staff always wore full PPE within the home.” from the report
Admissions and isolation
The home required hospital testing before admission and isolated new admissions to reduce the risk of infection spreading.
“Isolation was in place for new admissions to help ensure the risk of cross infection was minimized.” from the report
Testing and outbreak management
Whole-home testing was carried out, and inspectors were assured that the home could prevent or manage infection outbreaks.
“Whole home testing was carried out.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are visitors currently supported to use PPE and sanitise their hands?
- 02What arrangements are currently in place for testing and isolating new admissions?
- 03How does the home manage residents or staff who have symptoms of infection?
- 04How often is whole-home testing carried out now?
- 05When was the home's full rated inspection, including caring, responsiveness and leadership?
This was a targeted inspection of infection control and prevention measures, so the service was inspected but not rated and the other care areas were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 3 March 2021 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 Strathmore Nursing Home
4 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has slipped, from Good to Requires improvement.
- August 2023Requires improvementcurrent ratingSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- March 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- January 2020Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2015GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 21 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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