Grace Court Care Centre

Updated 15 July 2022

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

This inspection was carried out by two inspectors.

Service and service type

Grace Court Care Centre 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. Grace Court Care Centre 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 service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

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

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

Inspection activity started on 16 May 2022 and ended on 31 May 2022. We visited the service on the 16 and 20 May 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since its registration. We sought feedback from the local authority who work with the service. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with six people who used the service. We spoke with eight members of staff including the manager; nurses; care staff and the nominated individual’s operational manager. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

During the inspection we spoke with three family members who were visiting the service and a further two by telephone to gain their views on the service.

We reviewed a range of records. This included several people's care and medication records. We looked at

three recently recruited staff files in relation to recruitment; training records and records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 15 July 2022

About the service

Grace Court Care Centre is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to 28 people at the

time of the inspection. The service can support up to 30 people within one building. All bedrooms and

facilities are located on the ground floor of the service.

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

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 however, further improvements were needed to ensure the service responded appropriately to

people's changing needs. We have made a recommendation in this report.

Risk to people were identified and reduced where possible. The records relating to risk and their review of risk lacked detail on occasions. We have made a recommendation in this report.

New procedures had been put in place for the safe management of people’s medicines. Procedures were in place to manage infection, prevention and control within the service. This was an improvement from the previous inspection.

People were safeguarded from the risk of abuse. Lessons were learned and changes made when things went wrong.

Systems had been developed and were planned to monitor and ensure the quality and safety of the care and support people received.

The provider had developed a comprehensive action plan to make further improvements throughout the service.

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 16 December 2021)

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 improvements had been made and had met the requirements of a warning notice. Further improvement was required and the provider remained in breach of Regulation 17 Good Governance.

Why we inspected

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

We carried out an unannounced inspection of this service on 18 and 28 October 2021. Breaches of legal requirements were found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve safe care and treatment and good governance.

We undertook this focused inspection to check whether the Warning Notice we previously served in relation to Regulation 12 Safe Care and Treatment of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 had been met. Enough improvement had been made and the provider had met the requirements of the Warning Notice.

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 remains requires improvement. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

Enforcement and Recommendations

We are mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when considering what enforcement action was necessary and proportionate to keep people safe as a result of this inspection. We will continue to monitor the service and will take further action if needed.

We have identified a continual breach in relation to Regulation 17 (records relating to people’s care and support and staff recruitment needed improvement.) at this inspection.

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

Follow up

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

We will meet with the provider following this report being published to discuss how they will make changes to ensure they improve their rating to at least good. We will work with the local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.