The Grange, Liss

This report details an inspection of The Grange, Liss, a care home providing personal and nursing care. The inspection focused on how safe and well-led the service is, following concerns raised about the management of choking risks and oversight. The findings highlight areas where improvements are needed to ensure residents receive consistent, high-quality care.

On safety, residents were not always protected from potential abuse, with some incidents not being identified or reported as safeguarding concerns. While staff were responsive when safety issues were raised, there were instances where safeguarding allegations were not followed up with sufficient action. Risk assessments for falls and skin integrity were not always robust, and there were some inconsistencies in how people at risk of choking were supported. Staff recruitment processes also required attention to ensure all necessary checks were in place. In terms of how effective the care is, care was not consistently person-centred, and the environment was noted as being poorly maintained and lacking a homely feel. The quality of care provided varied significantly between staff members, and some interactions observed were undignified. On caring, while some staff demonstrated kindness and empathy, there were instances of poor and undignified interactions between staff and residents, impacting their dignity and respect. There was a noted lack of consistent person-centredness, with care sometimes seeming to align with staff convenience rather than resident needs and preferences. In terms of being responsive, the home's environment was described as dull and in disrepair, with maintenance issues identified but not addressed promptly. The provider had not always notified the CQC of significant events as required, and some serious incidents were not investigated or learned from in a timely manner. On being well-led, leadership and management oversight were found to be significantly lacking, leading to widespread shortfalls. The home's culture did not consistently promote person-centred care, and there was a lack of timely action on identified concerns, including safeguarding and staff training. While the new manager showed commitment to improvement, they had only recently taken post.