- Care home
St Catherines Care Home
Report from 15 April 2025 assessment
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of assessment: 29 April 2025 to 19 May 2025. St Catherines Care Home is a care home providing accommodation and nursing care to older people, some of whom were living with dementia. At the time of our inspection visit there were 26 people receiving care. This assessment was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last assessment. The provider was previously in breach of the legal regulations in relation to safe care and treatment, safeguarding service users from abuse and improper treatment, meeting nutritional and hydration needs, staffing and governance. Improvements were found at this assessment and the provider was no longer in breach of these regulations.
Since our last inspection, there was an improving picture and managers had worked to implement changes and make improvements, these needed to be fully embedded, sustained and built upon. A new regional manager and clinical nurse specialist had been providing oversight and supporting the registered manager to implement more effective governance systems.
Staff had been focused on ensuring Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) assessments and best interest decisions were completed and recorded where required. However, we found certain best interest decisions still needed to be recorded and, in some cases, assessments needed to be more decision specific. The provider’s oversight and monitoring of the ordering and administration of medicines had improved. Managers told us they had focused on the safe administration of medicines and regular audits had been undertaken.
The provider needed to ensure ongoing improvements were maintained to ensure record keeping was robust, that staff followed plans to manage risk and there was always sufficient staff especially when there were unexpected absences. We found there had been an oversight in relation to meeting the requirements to notify CQC of certain events.
People's experience of this service
Overall, we received positive comments from people about living at St Catherines Care Home. They told us they felt safe living in the home and were happy with the way staff treated them. People told us, “I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else. It’s good here” and “Overall I am very happy here, I can’t complain.”
We received some mixed comments about staff availability at certain times, however, people felt staff knew them well and their choices were respected. People had seen some improvements to the environment and said the building was clean. One person said, “I like my room, and I have all my belongings in it and it is kept clean. It is fresh, airy and light.”People were positive about the food on offer and feedback indicated staff had made improvements in the way meals were presented and the way people were supported at mealtimes. Comments included. “The people here are excellent, and the food is good” and “The food is good. I take what’s given but if I don’t like something they will give me another choice.”
People were particularly positive about the activity staff and activities on offer at the service. Relatives told usthey had been engaged in meetings and had seen some improvements in response to their feedback.