The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has raised the rating of St Georges Court Care Home from inadequate to good and removed it from special measures, following an inspection in April and May last year.
The home is run by St. Georges Court Healthcare Limited and provides personal and nursing care for up to 76 older people.
CQC inspected to follow up on improvements it told leaders to make at a previous inspection, which found concerns around people’s safety, person-centred care, staff knowledge, and the management of the home.
A new registered manager has since taken over the running of the home. At this inspection, CQC found the service had made sufficient improvements in all aspects and they are no longer in breach of regulations.
CQC has raised the home’s rating from inadequate to good for safe and well-led. It has improved the rating from requires improvement to good for effective, caring, and responsive.
Hazel Roberts, CQC deputy director of adult social care in the east of England, said:
“When we inspected St Georges Court Care Home, we were pleased to find significant improvements to people’s care, which was now consistently person-centred, respectful and kind.
“People living in the home told us they felt safe and happy with their care, and felt comfortable raising any concerns or ideas about it. Staff knew people very well and involved them in planning their care, meaning they understood their needs, preferences, and ways of communicating.
“Staff used this knowledge to tailor people’s care, such as by playing music when supporting one person to help them feel more comfortable. They’d worked with another person’s family to provide an instrument that had been important in their life as a teacher.
“Staff had also developed new activities based on what people enjoyed and found important, such as gardening and wildlife projects. We saw people were offered many choices in their daily routines.
“Leaders ensured staff had the skills and support to meet people’s needs. They were visible in the home, receptive to feedback, and had established a culture of continuous improvements so people received a high standard of care.
“Everyone working at St George’s Court should be proud of the changes they’ve made for their residents. We’ve shared our findings with them and will continue to monitor the service to ensure these improvements are embedded and sustained.”
Inspectors found:
- Staff monitored people’s health well and supported them to live healthy lives.
- Staff supported people to maintain strong relationships with their family and friends.
- Staff kept the home clean and fresh, and protected people from risks of infection.
- Staff respected people’s consent and the rights of people with limited mental capacity.
- Leaders safeguarded people well from risks of abuse or neglect.
- The home worked well with other health and care organisations, so that people’s needs could be met seamlessly.
- Staff discussed people’s needs and wishes for end-of-life care with them and their loved ones, to ensure these could be met comfortably.
- Leaders promoted staff wellbeing exceptionally well, meaning they retained more employees, meaning people were cared for by consistent staff.