21 March 2011
Hillscourt Nursing Home is not meeting essential standards of quality and safety.
The Care Quality Commission has told GT Care Services Ltd that it must take action to improve services at Hillscourt Nursing Home, at Pennsylvania Road, Exeter.
Inspectors visited the home unannounced in response to concerns which were first raised through local authority procedures to safeguard people.
Their review concludes that the home was not meeting four essential standards where improvements are needed:
- Care and welfare of people who use services
- Management of medicines
- Records
- Meeting nutritional needs
The report says that two people had developed pressure sores, and records showed that measures to prevent sores developing were not put in place as promptly as they should have been. Staff were not always following the plan of care about how to prevent pressure sores.
Some people who were at risk of dehydration, malnutrition or choking were not always having those risks adequately managed. Some relatives said they were concerned that people were not being adequately supported to eat and drink.
Inspectors raised their immediate concerns with the provider and the nurse in charge and also referred their concerns to Devon Safeguarding Team. Devon social services and NHS Devon continue to work with the home to minimise any further risk to the people who live here.
Bernadette Hanney, acting Regional Director of CQC in the South West, said that
Inspectors would continue to monitor the home closely.
She said: “By law, providers of certain adult social care and health care services have a responsibility to make sure they are meeting essential standards of quality and safety. These are the standards everyone should be able to expect when they receive care.
“At Hillscourt people were not always experiencing care that is planned and delivered in a safe and effective way. Care planning does not encourage the prevention, early detection and treatment of health or welfare issues and some people are not supported to have their nutrition and hydration needs met in a way that is safe.
“These are serious matters of concern. We have told the provider where they need to improve and our inspectors will follow up to ensure those improvements are made. If we find that the service does not make progress, then we will consider further action.”
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
Hillscourt Nursing Home is registered to provide accommodation with nursing and personal care for up to 27 people.
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 Hillscourt Nursing Home.