Three care homes in and around Ipswich have been told that more refinements are needed after being given ‘requires improvement’ ratings by a health watchdog.
Bethesda Eventide Homes in Henley Road, Shaftesbury House Residential Care Home in Cowper Street and Barking Hall Nursing Home near Needham Market were all given the rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) – the body which regulates healthcare in England.
Bethesda had previously been rated ‘good’ following the last inspection in August 2014, but inspectors this time raised concerns over individual care plans, inconsistencies in care records and the management of medicines.
Steve Barber, care home manager said: “We were disappointed obviously, but it wasn’t related to the quality of care it was around paperwork.
“We have already submitted an action plan to get back up to that [good] rating.”
Inspectors on the most recent visit to Shaftesbury House – which also dropped from ‘good’ – said there were “inconsistencies in care records” and had been an incident surrounding medicines not being available to one person which was not reported properly.
Sheila O’Connor, director of operations at the home, said: “We strive to deliver the highest standard of care consistently for every resident so we were disappointed by the report.
“We are confident that improvements have already been made to meet the required standards, including welcoming new, permanent team members and tightening processes around reporting and documentation.”
Barking Hall Nursing Home near Needham Market maintained its ‘requires improvement’ rating from September 2016, having raised issues with sufficient staff on duty and management of risks.
The latest report said there were improvements but “did not find sufficient improvement to rate the service as good.”
A spokeswoman from the home said: “Following the CQC’s inspection four months ago, we implemented an action plan to address the issues raised and ensure sustainable improvements were made at the home.
“Positive progress has continued, including the appointment of a highly experienced home manager who is continuing to implement the plan.”
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