Meadows Edge Care Home

Updated 21 December 2023

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by 2 inspectors.

Service and service type

Meadows Edge Care Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Meadows Edge Care Home is a care home with nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We requested feedback from Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 3 people who used the service and observed interactions between people and staff during the inspection. We spoke with 4 staff members, these included 3 nurses and the head of finance. We looked at a range of information. This included 6 care records, all medicines administration records (MAR) and associated documents. We also checked 3 staff files, training records and information about the operation and management of the service.

Updated 21 December 2023

About the service

Meadows Edge Care home is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to up to 45 people in 1 adapted building. The service provides support to old and younger adults and people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 29 people using the service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

We have made a recommendation the provider considers installing privacy screening to some of the bedrooms.

Important information was not always available in people’s medicine records to ensure staff had the appropriate information to provide safe care and treatment.

We identified areas in the building that required maintenance to ensure they were not an infection, prevention control risk.

Individual risks identified in incident forms were not risk assessed. For example, when people had hit other people and staff when distressed.

The systems and processes to review incidents were not robust and did not evidence learning lessons.

Audits were not always accurate or reflective of what actions had been already taken. Medicine and maintenance audits did not show who was responsible to complete actions and if they had been completed.

Notifications were not always made to the Care Quality Commission when required.

Terminology and language used in care plans and other records was respectful and there were no indications of a closed culture. Care plans were well written with consideration for people’s personal preferences and encouragement for staff to promote choice.

Health monitoring forms and communication tools were effectively used to monitor people when risks to their health had been identified.

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.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was inadequate (published 24 May 2023). The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found the provider remained in breach of regulations. This service has been in Special Measures since 23 May 2023.

Why we inspected

This inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Meadows Edge Care Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Enforcement

We have identified breaches in relation to safe care and treatment, safeguarding people from abuse, good governance and staffing at this inspection. Full information about CQC's regulatory response to the more serious concerns found during inspections is added to reports after any representations and appeals have been concluded.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.

The overall rating for this service is ‘Inadequate’ and the service remains in ‘special measures’. This means we will keep the service under review and, if we do not propose to cancel the provider’s registration, we will re-inspect within 6 months to check for significant improvements.

If the provider has not made enough improvement within this timeframe and there is still a rating of inadequate for any key question or overall rating, we will take action in line with our enforcement procedures. This will mean we will begin the process of preventing the provider from operating this service. This will usually lead to cancellation of their registration or to varying the conditions the registration.

For adult social care services, the maximum time for being in special measures will usually be no more than 12 months. If the service has demonstrated improvements when we inspect it and it is no longer rated as inadequate for any of the five key questions it will no longer be in special measures.