Garfield House Care Home

This report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) provides an overview of Garfield House Care Home following an inspection in April 2023. The inspection assessed the service against five key questions: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, and Well-led. Overall, the home was found to require improvement. While the report highlights positive aspects, it also identifies areas where improvements are needed to ensure consistent high-quality care for residents.

On safety, the home has systems to safeguard residents from abuse and staff are safely recruited. However, the management of medicines and prescribed thickening powder were not always handled safely, and there were delays in identifying and acting on risks for a recent admission.

In terms of how effective the care is, staff have access to relevant training, and their competencies are checked. Nevertheless, staff supervisions were not always conducted according to policy, and the quality and consistency of meals sometimes did not align with the menu provided.

The home's approach to caring was viewed positively, with residents reporting they were treated with dignity and respect. Staff were observed to engage in caring interactions and supported residents to maintain their independence.

Regarding responsiveness, residents are involved in planning their care, and their communication needs are met. However, feedback on activities was mixed, and residents were not always offered frequent showers.

In the well-led domain, the registered manager is aware of their responsibilities, and staff know how to report poor practice. However, there were several governance issues identified, including concerns with record-keeping, audits, and the consistent reporting of incidents to the CQC.