By Scunthorpe care home hit with ‘requires improvement’ rating
A care home in Scunthorpe has been handed a “requires improvement” rating following a recent inspection.
The Valleys Care Home on Lakeside Parkway has been identified as a care service that “requires improvement” across the facilities safety, effectivity, leadership, and responsiveness, according to a report published by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The inspection, conducted on 13 April, rated the home overall as “good” and found the staff to be “kind and caring”, however, the inspection indicated issues with safeguarding, support for staff, and activity opportunities for residents.
In their report, the CQC said:
“The Valleys Care Home is a nursing home providing personal and nursing care to 84 people, including people living with dementia, mental health needs, physical disabilities. The service was supporting 73 people at the time of our inspection”
“People did not always receive safe care and medicines were not managed safely. Discrepancies in stocks of medicines had been identified meaning some people had not received the correct medication”, it added.
“Information about risks and safety were not always identified or up to date. There were limited systems in place to record, manage and report concerns about risks. Accidents and incidents were not always investigated. Lessons were not always learned or shared with staff”
“Safeguarding policies and procedures were not fully embedded, and the service was not always fully engaged with local safeguarding systems. Staff understood their role in safeguarding people from abuse. We recommend the provider reviews their systems and processes for reporting of safeguarding incidents”
“People received the care and support they needed to be safe, but staff did not always have the time or availability to be flexible to people’s changing needs. We recommend the provider reviews their staffing levels to meet the needs of individuals”
“The provider recruitment process ensured suitable staff supported people. However, the service did not have a consistent approach to support staff to maintain their professional skills and knowledge. We recommend the provider has a system in place to ensure staff receive the appropriate support to carry out their duties”
“People were not always supported to engage in person centred activities to help them maintain hobbies and interests. We recommend the provider reviews how activities are provided to allow all people to have access to them. Staff have access to and followed clear policies and procedures on infection control that meet current and relevant national guidance”
Conversely, the home had been praised for their dining selection, further suggesting that staff had followed “clear policies and procedures” pertaining to infection control.
CQC concluded their report by confirming they would require an action plan from the care provider to understand how the home will rectify issues raised by the inspection.
It is understood that the CQC will “continue to monitor” the home to help with upcoming inspections.
