St Peters Court

This report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) provides an overview of the findings from an inspection of St Peters Court, a nursing home. The inspection focused on two key areas: safety and leadership. While the report highlights several positive aspects of the care provided, it also identifies areas where improvements are needed to ensure consistent quality and robust oversight. Families can use this summary to understand the overall picture of the home's performance as assessed by the CQC.

On safety, residents and their relatives generally felt safe and well-cared for, with staff demonstrating knowledge of safeguarding procedures. Risks to individuals were assessed, and infection prevention measures were in place, including the appropriate use of PPE. However, there were instances where safeguarding concerns were not always followed up with sufficient checks, and not all staff had completed up-to-date practical fire safety training. Staff recruitment was robust, though feedback on staffing levels was mixed, and not all staff had completed the latest infection prevention training.

Regarding how effective the care is, residents received their medicines as prescribed, and staff had clear guidance on individual support preferences. The service was clean, and efforts were made to maintain this despite ongoing renovations. While learning from incidents occurred and was shared with staff, the report noted a need for better record-keeping in some areas.

In terms of how caring the service is, relatives expressed positive feedback, feeling involved in their loved ones' care and describing the staff as brilliant. The home sought support from health professionals and worked with dementia support services to enhance care. People were supported in making choices about their daily lives, and their equality characteristics were considered in their care plans.

When it comes to how responsive the service is, the home ensured visitors adhered to safety protocols and that new admissions were managed safely. Staff engaged in daily meetings to discuss care, and efforts were being made to reintroduce relative meetings safely. The provider actively sought external support to meet residents' needs and adapt to changing care requirements.

However, in terms of how well-led the service is, there were significant areas for improvement. Quality and safety monitoring systems were not always effective, leading to gaps in health records that could risk overlooking changes in resident health. Safeguarding concerns were not always addressed promptly, and not all staff, including agency workers, had the necessary up-to-date training tailored to residents' specific needs, such as dementia care. Some staff supervision records were also incomplete.