Chatterwood Nursing Home

This report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) details the findings of an inspection at Chatterwood Nursing Home. The inspection assessed the service across five key areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, and Well-led. The overall aim was to evaluate the quality of care and support provided to residents and to ensure compliance with regulatory standards. This summary aims to provide families with a clear overview of the inspection outcomes, highlighting both areas of strength and opportunities for development within the home.

On safety, the home has seen improvements, but there are still concerns regarding the reporting and investigation of incidents, including those that could suggest abuse. Not all incidents were consistently identified or thoroughly investigated to ensure resident safety and to inform future improvements. While risks to residents are assessed and managed, some monitoring records were not fully completed. The home has addressed concerns regarding topical medicine administration and now has robust recruitment procedures. Infection prevention and control measures are in place and effective, with an updated policy.

In terms of how effective the care is, Chatterwood Nursing Home has made significant progress. Staff receive appropriate training and development, with a focus on resident needs, including specialised training for conditions like dementia. While some mandatory training was delayed due to the pandemic, a plan is in place to catch up. Residents are well-supported with their nutrition and hydration, with regular monitoring and referrals to healthcare professionals when needed. The management of risks related to weight loss has improved considerably.

The care provided at the home is described as caring, with residents and their relatives speaking positively about the staff's approach. Improvements in the home's culture have positively impacted teamwork and the quality of care. Staff understand how to promote resident dignity, and care plans reflect current needs and are person-centred. While there were challenges in meaningful family involvement during the COVID-19 pandemic, the home plans to enhance this.

In terms of responsiveness, care plans are person-centred and reflect residents' current needs. Relatives noted the home's excellent care for residents at the end of their life. The home has been working to improve family involvement in care planning, a process that was challenging during the pandemic but is planned for enhancement.

Regarding leadership and how the service is well-led, the report indicates areas for further development. While the home has improved significantly since its last inspection and is no longer in special measures, systems for monitoring the overall safety and quality of the service had not identified all issues found during this inspection. Feedback from relatives suggests they do not always feel involved, though the provider is addressing this. While the service has a new manager in place, the recording of interventions when residents are resistant to care needs to be clearer, and the provider has been recommended to consider current guidance on learning from incidents. An infection control audit also needs to reflect additional COVID-19 measures.