Winsford Grange putting residents at risk of avoidable harm, say inspectors

Winsford Grange Care Home was found to be continuing to breach regulations when health watchdog the Care Quality Commission carried out another inspection.

Inspectors concluded that four out of five categories they examined, safety, effectiveness, responsiveness and leadership, still 'require improvement'.

The service was found to be 'good' in the area of caring.

Inspectors have ordered Community Integrated Care, who run the home on Station Road Bypass for up to 60 frail residents with dementia, to take action to remedy the failures.

In a report, inspectors said: "We identified a continued breach of regulations in relation to records and safe care and treatment.

"People were not always safe and protected from avoidable harm."

Inspectors found sluice room doors left unlocked and open.

"These contained taps with higher temperature water than normal taps which could place people at risk of potential avoidable harm," said inspectors.

"This same issue had been identified during the previous inspection."

Not all risk assessments had been completed, say inspectors, which meant that some potential risks had not been identified and planned for.

One of the units at the home had been closed following the last inspection when insufficient staff were deemed to be employed.

Agency staff are still used to help run the three remaining units and more permanent staff are being recruited.

However, inspectors said the home was still in breach of regulations in relation to good governance and records.

Inspectors said: "People's care, treatment and support did not always achieve good outcomes, promote a good quality of life.

"Risk assessments and care plans in relation to nutritional needs had not always been completed fully and did not always provide clear guidance for staff to follow.

"Assessment of people's care needs had not always been completed in detail."

Inspectors found that some care records lacked information around people's life history and preferences.

"People did not always receive personalised care that responded to their needs," added inspectors.

"This was a continued breach of regulation in relation to good governance and records."

Inspectors noted that a new registered manager Kim Elleray had been appointed but said that due to the short time she had been in post many of the improvements were still ongoing.

Richard Whitby, managing director of older people’s services at Community Integrated Care said: “Following Winsford Grange’s ‘inadequate’ CQC report in June 2018, we took immediate steps to develop a robust plan of action to address all issues identified.

"Over the last six months colleagues at Winsford Grange, led by our new management team, have worked tirelessly to improve all aspects of the service and we are proud of the progress they have made - as a result, the home has now improved to be rated as ‘good’ in the area of caring and ‘requires improvement’ in the remaining areas.

"We do, however, recognise that we are still on a journey of improvement. Whilst the report highlights how far we have come in a really short space of time, we know that we still have work to do and are very much committed to restoring the high standards we expect for our residents and for ourselves.

"We are encouraged on this journey by the positive comments received from family members and loved ones within the report, as well as commendations from CQC and the local authority for the progress we have made.”