The Grove Care Home

Updated 25 February 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 completed by 2 inspectors and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

The Grove 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. The Grove Care Home is a care home without 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 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 sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 8 people who used the service and 2 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 8 members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager, care workers, administrator and the maintenance team.

We reviewed a range of records. This included 5 people's care records and 14 medication administration records. We inspected 4 staff files in relation to their recruitment. A variety of other records relating to the management of the service, including audits and policies and procedures, were also reviewed.

We inspected the environment and spent time observing interactions between people and staff, and infection prevention and control practices.

Updated 25 February 2023

About the service

The Grove Care Home is a residential care home providing personal care to up to maximum of 52 older people, some of whom are living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 48 people using the service.

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

Medicine practices were not always in line with best practice guidelines.

A system was in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service; however this was not always effective in identifying and addressing issues.

Analysis of incidents was completed. However lessons learnt were not always identified.

People were happy with the care they received, they felt safe and well looked after.

People had support from staff who had been safely recruited. Staff received training in safeguarding and understood their role and responsibilities to protect people from abuse. People and staff spoke positively about the management of the service.

Staff followed care plans and risk assessments which were in place for known risk, up to date, and regularly reviewed. People were regularly asked their views on the service provided and action had been taken when suggestions were made.

People were supported to have access to healthcare services to monitor and maintain their health and wellbeing. People were encouraged to maintain a healthy diet, where people had specific dietary requirements, these were catered for.

The home was clean and tidy and additional cleaning ensured people were safe from the risk of infection.

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 Care Quality Commission (CQC) website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 24 January 2020).

Why we inspected

We received concerns in relation to risk management, infection control, staffing, management of medicines and management oversight. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

The overall rating for the service has changed from good to requires improvement based on the findings of this inspection.

You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

Enforcement and recommendations

We have identified a breach in relation to medicine management at this inspection.

We have made a recommendation in relation to good governance and lessons learnt.

Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.