23 June 2022
During an inspection looking at part of the service
Ings Grove House is a care home which can support up to 40 people. The home provides intermediate care, which supports hospital discharge through rehabilitation to help people regain previous levels of independence. At the time of the inspection, there were 24 people using the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The service was not always managed well. Quality assurance systems were in place and happening regularly, however these had not always been effective in identifying the issues found at this inspection. Improvements were required to ensure records in relation to people’s care were complete and accurate. This area had already been identified by the registered manager as requiring improvement.
Medication was not always managed safely. We found concerns in relation to the management of ‘as and when’ required medicines and thickeners. There had been several medication errors at the service and although none had a detrimental impact on people’s health, there was a high risk lessons were not being learnt to prevent reoccurrence.
We received mixed feedback from people and staff in relation to the staffing levels at the service. We reviewed the time of response to call bells and found examples of this being responded to over the expected time set by the registered manager. Some of these issues had already been identified by the registered manager, others had not. We recommend the provider reviews their staffing levels, taking into consideration dependency levels, call bell response times and the layout of the building.
People and relatives told us the care received at the service had a positive impact on people. People told us they felt safe and enjoyed being at the service; their comments included, “[Coming to Ings Grove] was the best thing that ever happened.” Relatives shared positive feedback as well.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives, and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
Throughout the inspection the registered manager was honest and open with us. They acknowledged the shortfalls identified at this inspection and were eager to put processes in place to ensure people receiving care and support were safe and protected from harm.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published on 24 October 2019).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection.
We have found evidence the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the safe and well led sections of this full report.
You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.
Enforcement and Recommendations
We are mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when considering what enforcement action was necessary and proportionate to keep people safe as a result of this inspection. We will continue to monitor the service.
We have identified breaches in relation to safe care and treatment and good governance at this inspection.
We made a recommendation for the provider to review good practice guidance in relation to safe staffing levels.
Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.