Archived: Elm Court Ward

Updated 28 March 2018

The trust uses beds in Priory Mews, a care home in Dartford. The area used by Dartford and Gravesham NHS trust is Elm Court and is used for the medically fit patients who require a short period of rehabilitation, assessment and mobilisation.

Updated 28 March 2018

We have not inspected this location before. We rated it as requires improvement because:

• We inspected medical care – the only service provided here – and rated it as requires improvement.

Updated 28 March 2018

We have not previously rated this service. We rated it as requires improvement because:

• Mandatory training figures were below trust targets and staff did not have sufficient safeguarding training.
• We saw poor compliance with infection control policies and maintenance of equipment. At Elm Court there was no cleaning strategy or operational plan. Both these documents are a requirement of the National Specifications for Cleanliness in the National Health Service.
• Staffing had improved but was still under the planned levels for several months leading up to inspection.
• Patient records at Elm Court did not meet national requirements with overfilled folders and loose pages. Records were not securely stored.
• Safety thermometer information was being collected but not used effectively to improve services.
• Patients were placed in Individual bedrooms, these were not always ideal for supporting patient’s needs.
• Patients were sometimes referred inappropriately. However, a new system of risk assessment, based on traffic lights had recently been introduced to prevent inappropriate referrals and admissions.
• The unit was not dementia friendly. Although dementia patients were not routinely admitted, the operational policy allowed patients with dementia to be cared for on the unit.