28 September 2011
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has said it is satisfied that Southern Healthcare (Wessex) Ltd has made urgent improvements which were required at The Old Rectory Nursing Home in Exeter.
Inspectors who made an unannounced visit to the home in Tiverton Road, Exeter in August found that its systems for the management of medicines now complied with the essential standards of quality and safety.
The visit followed concerns that had been raised during two previous inspections. In July CQC issued a formal warning to Southern Healthcare (Wessex) Ltd that it must make urgent improvement to the management of medicines or face further action. The report of that inspection has now been published on the CQC website.
Inspectors said that some people were at risk of choking because records did not clearly state that they should not have their medicines given by mouth. Medicine records were not always clear enough to show that people were receiving their medicines as they were prescribed by a doctor.
The home had not carried out audits of their medicines since CQC inspected in January 2011, and the system for managing medicines was not robust enough to identify where errors had occurred.
Ian Biggs, Regional Director of CQC in the South West, said that inspectors had now found there had been a significant improvement to the safety of residents.
He said: "The law says that these are the standards that everyone should be able to expect. Providers have a duty to ensure they are compliant.
“On our earlier inspection it was a matter of some concern that The Old Rectory was in breach of the regulations on the management of medicines.
“Our latest inspection has shown a real improvement. The onus is now on the provider to ensure that this continues. We will monitor the home to ensure these improvements are sustained and will not hesitate to take action if it becomes necessary."
Ends
For further information please contact the CQC press office on 0207 448 9401 or out of hours on 07917 232 143.
Notes to editors
About the CQC: Snippet for press releases
About the Care Quality Commission
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and social care in England.
We make sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care and we encourage care services to improve.
We monitor, inspect and regulate services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety and we publish what we find to help people choose care.
Read the report
Read the reports from our checks on standards at The Old Rectory Nursing Home.