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CQC report explained · a residential care home, run by Anchor

Eastlake

Nightingale Road, Godalming, GU7 3AG

Requires improvementpublished 24 January 2024, 2 years ago

Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the service was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.

The five questions inspectors ask
Safe?
Requires improvement
Inspectors found unsafe arrangements for some emergency medicines, incomplete guidance about diabetes risks, and medicines records that were not always completed promptly. They also found strengths in recruitment, safeguarding, infection control and emergency planning.
Effective?
Good
This question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was carried forward.
Caring?
Good
This question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was carried forward.
Responsive?
Good
This question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was carried forward.
Well-led?
Requires improvement
Governance systems did not reliably identify risks or check that actions had been completed. Communication about hospital discharges was not always effective, and some staff said they did not feel respected, supported or valued.
The latest report, explained

What inspectors found, January 2024

Eastlake is rated Requires Improvement; inspectors found unsafe medicines arrangements and weak oversight, although people generally felt safe and were treated kindly.

This was an unannounced focused inspection on 28 November and 5 December 2023. Inspectors reviewed safe care and how well the home was managed. They spoke with people, relatives and staff, observed care, and checked care, medicines and management records.

The home was not always safe. Two people had emergency seizure medicines, but staff were not yet trained and assessed as competent to give them. Diabetes risks were not fully covered in care plans. Medicines records were not always signed at the right time, and the home did not always learn from incidents.

The home was also not well-led. Audits failed to find problems, and there was no reliable system to track whether actions after falls or other incidents had worked. Communication with hospitals was not always effective. Inspectors also found strengths: people felt safe, staff were recruited safely, the home was clean, and care was kind and respectful.

The overall rating changed from Good at the previous inspection, published in February 2020, to Requires Improvement. Only Safe and Well-led were inspected in this visit. The other three question ratings were not reassessed and were carried forward when calculating the overall rating.

What inspectors praised
  • People felt safe

    People and relatives told inspectors they felt safe at the home. Staff understood abuse and knew how to report concerns.

    People told us they felt safe living at the home.from the report
  • Kind and respectful care

    Inspectors saw staff treating people with dignity and respect. People also spoke positively about the care and support they received.

    Staff interacted with people in a kind and considerate manner, treating them with dignity and respect.from the report
  • Safe recruitment and staffing

    The required pre-employment checks had been completed. Inspectors found enough staff on duty and said staff usually responded quickly when people asked for help.

    Staff had been recruited safely. Pre-employment checks had been carried out, including references, proof of identity and Disclosure and Barring checks (DBS).from the report
  • Community links

    People were supported to keep in touch with family, friends and the local community. Local schools and community groups visited to chat and sing.

    People were supported to engage in home life and maintain contacts with family and friends.from the report
  • Clean environment

    Inspectors found the home clean and well kept. They were assured that infection prevention arrangements were in place.

    We observed the home as clean and well kept.from the report
What inspectors were concerned about
  • Emergency medicines

    serious

    Two people had emergency medicines for prolonged seizures, but staff were not trained and assessed as competent to give them. This created a risk of serious harm.

    We found 2 people were prescribed rescue medicines to be used in emergencies, but staff were not trained and competent to be able to administer them which put people at risk of harm.from the report
  • Diabetes risk planning

    serious

    Care plans did not give staff enough guidance on recognising and responding to low or high blood sugar. Updated plans were still being developed during the inspection.

    The provider had failed to assess and mitigate risks to people living with diabetes.from the report
  • Weak management checks

    serious

    Audits did not identify problems found by inspectors. The home did not consistently track whether actions after falls and other incidents had been completed and had worked.

    Governance processes were not operated effectively.from the report
  • Communication and staff support

    needs fixing

    Communication with hospitals was not always effective when people returned from hospital. Inspectors also heard that some staff did not feel respected, supported or valued.

    There were weaknesses in communication so that care was more joined up.from the report
Questions to ask them, based on this report
  1. 01Have all staff who may need to give emergency seizure medicines now been trained and assessed as competent?
  2. 02What written guidance is now in place for recognising and responding to low or high blood sugar for each person with diabetes?
  3. 03How are medicines administration records checked to make sure staff sign them immediately after medicines are given?
  4. 04How does the home investigate incidents and track actions until it knows the risk has been reduced?
  5. 05What system is now used to make sure hospital discharge information is complete and passed promptly to the staff caring for the person?

This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the other question ratings were carried forward from the previous inspection when calculating the overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 24 January 2024 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.

The story over the years

Every inspection of Eastlake

4 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has held its Requires improvement rating throughout.

  1. January 2024Requires improvementcurrent rating
    Safe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement

    Read what inspectors found at Eastlake

  2. September 2020Inspected but not rated
    Safe: Inspected but not rated

    We are reading this report · the original is on cqc.org.uk

  3. February 2020Goodstayed Good
    Safe: GoodWell-led: Good

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  4. August 2017Goodup from Requires improvement
    Safe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  5. June 2016Requires improvement
    Safe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  6. November 2013

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  7. March 2013

    Report published without a new overall rating.

    Read this report on cqc.org.uk

  8. November 2010

    Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 25 November 2010.

Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission. A service can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections, not every contact the CQC has had with the service.

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