CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at The Springs Care Home
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the home was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
What inspectors found, December 2021
Rated Requires Improvement; inspectors found kind, effective care, but medicines, care records and quality checks were not always safe or reliable.
Inspectors visited on 19 and 20 October and 3 November 2021. The first and third visits were unannounced. They spoke with people, staff and relatives, observed care, and checked care, medicines, staff and management records.
People were generally treated kindly and with respect. Staff supported people's health, nutrition, choices and end-of-life care. The home was clean, infection control arrangements were satisfactory, and staff learned from accidents and incidents.
However, medicines were not always recorded safely. Guidance for staff using medicine patches was incomplete, and one person receiving hidden medicines did not have safe administration advice in their care plan. Care plans and risk assessments were not always updated promptly after people's needs changed.
The overall rating fell from Good at the previous inspection in 2017 to Requires Improvement. Safe and Well-led were rated Requires Improvement, while Effective, Caring and Responsive were rated Good.
Kind and respectful care
People were treated with kindness and staff offered reassurance in ways that suited them. Privacy, dignity and independence were also supported.
“Staff spent time chatting with people and were quick to offer reassurance and support in the ways people preferred.” from the report
Staff training
Staff received training for their roles, regular supervision and support during induction. Nurses had also completed medicines training and competency checks.
“People were supported by staff who had been trained to meet their needs effectively.” from the report
Health and nutrition support
Staff monitored eating and drinking and contacted health professionals when needed. They supported people to attend health appointments and contacted GPs when people were unwell.
“Staff encouraged and/or supported people to attend health appointments, opticians and dental appointments, so they would remain well.” from the report
Infection control and cleanliness
Inspectors were assured that the home had arrangements for preventing and managing infections, including the use of protective equipment and visits.
“We were assured that the provider was using PPE effectively and safely.” from the report
Medicine records
seriousMedicine patches did not have a complete record of where they should be placed or daily checks that they remained in place. One person receiving hidden medicines did not have safe administration advice in their care plan.
“Medicines were not always managed safely and recorded accurately.” from the report
Care plans not updated promptly
needs fixingSome care plans and risk assessments did not reflect people's current needs after changes such as an injury. Personal preferences were also not always recorded.
“We found people's risk assessments had not been regularly reviewed to ensure staff had the most up to date information” from the report
Quality checks missed problems
needs fixingThe provider's audits did not identify the gaps in care plan reviews or the missing guidance about medicine patches. This led to the Well-led rating of Requires Improvement.
“Although governance systems were in place some of the provider's audits had failed to identify the shortfalls we identified at this inspection.” from the report
Staff availability at mealtimes
needs fixingThere were periods when no staff were available to support people in the dining room. The manager said the home was advertising for another host role.
“There were periods of time where there were no staff available to support people in the dining room.” from the report
- 01What has been changed so medicine patches now have complete rotation records and daily checks?
- 02How do you make sure advice for hidden medicines is written clearly in each person's care plan?
- 03How often are care plans and risk assessments reviewed after an injury or other change in need?
- 04What staffing arrangements are now in place so people are supported in the dining room throughout mealtimes?
- 05How does the home check that its audits identify problems before they affect people's care?
This inspection looked at all five CQC questions and infection prevention and control, and was prompted in part by concerns about safe care and treatment. This explanation was written from the published report of 24 December 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.
What inspectors found, December 2017
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and responsive care, with improvements in leadership since the previous inspection.
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection on 29 and 30 November 2017. Inspectors spoke with people living at the home, relatives, managers and staff. They observed care and checked care, medicine, accident, complaint and quality records.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in all five areas. Inspectors found people were kept safe, received appropriate care and medicines, enjoyed their food, and could access health professionals when needed.
People and relatives described staff as kind and caring. Staff supported people's choices, dignity, communication and independence. Activities were arranged around people's interests, and concerns and complaints were investigated.
The home had improved from Requires Improvement in well-led at the September 2016 inspection. Inspectors found better communication, staffing arrangements, management oversight and monitoring of care. Some environmental work was still being completed.
Kind and respectful care
People and relatives described staff as kind and compassionate. Inspectors saw staff protecting people's dignity and spending time with them without rushing.
“People and their relative told us staff were kind and compassionate.” from the report
Good dementia support
Staff received dementia training and used picture cards, translation equipment and other approaches to help people communicate and stay involved in decisions.
“Staff had received additional training about dementia from a dementia specialist working at the home.” from the report
Safe medicines and risk management
Trained staff gave medicines as prescribed. People's risks were assessed, and accidents were reviewed so action could be taken to reduce further risk.
“Medicines were administered by trained staff. Medicines were regularly reviewed and monitored to ensure people had them when they needed them.” from the report
Improved leadership
The home had improved since the previous inspection. Management had strengthened communication, teamwork and checks on the quality of care.
“At this inspection we found the service had improved and was now rated as good.” from the report
Personalised activities and food
Activities were based on people's interests and life histories. Staff and kitchen workers adapted food and support to individual needs and preferences.
“There was an activity co-ordinator for each floor and they had a good understanding about what different people liked to do.” from the report
Staff availability
minorThree relatives said staff were not always available. Inspectors found people's needs were met, but this is worth checking at different times of day.
“Three relatives told us there was not always staff available, however their family member had their needs met.” from the report
Some environmental work unfinished
minorThe environment was still being adapted for people living with dementia. Further dementia-friendly wall art was planned on two floors, and garden work was still being completed.
“The environment was in the process of being adapted to effectively support people living at the home.” from the report
- 01How do you make sure there are enough staff available when several people need help at the same time?
- 02Which dementia-friendly environmental changes are still unfinished, and when will they be completed?
- 03How are people's individual communication methods, such as picture cards or translation equipment, recorded and kept up to date?
- 04How do you check that improvements in moving and handling practice and staffing levels are maintained?
- 05How are activities planned for someone whose interests or abilities change?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering the overall quality of the home and all five CQC questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 22 December 2017 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 The Springs Care Home
4 rated inspections over 6 years: the service has held its Requires improvement rating throughout.
- December 2021Requires improvementcurrent ratingdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- December 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2016Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- October 2015Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- June 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 25 November 2010.
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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Most charge £980 to £1,260 a week. 85 can care for a couple. 9 years' experience on average.
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