Improvements recognised but "widespread shortfalls" remain at Derbyshire care home

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) upgraded the care home’s rating from ‘inadequate’ to ‘requires improvement’ following their visit but the home is still in special measures.

Grove House, in Ashover, has been in special measures since last June when it was graded inadequate by the CQC – having previously been rated good since January 2019. Inspectors revisited the premises – which provides care for older adults, some of whom are living with dementia – in January of this year and published their findings earlier this month.

They found that there were “widespread and significant shortfalls in service leadership” with the service remaining in breach of health and social care regulations. An extract from the report reads: “There were no established systems to recognise when people needed to be referred to external health professionals for their changing mobility needs. Staff had made decisions about mobility aids when they did not have the skills or qualifications to do so.

"The provider had not operated their training and supervision policy effectively. Furthermore, the provider had not met legislative requirements for staff to receive learning disabilities and autism training. This meant the provider had not followed their own policies to ensure staff were trained and supported to meet people's needs.”

READ THIS: Award-winning Chesterfield pub confirms closure dates ahead of refurbishment

Peak Care Limited, which provides the car at Grove House, said they had made ‘remarkable progress’ since the previous inspection last year.

A spokesperson said: “Grove House, like the majority of care homes across the United Kingdom have struggled greatly in recruiting quality staff across all levels of management. However, our efforts were not totally in vain as our loyal staff were able, at great personal sacrifice, to make remarkable progress since our inspection in June of 2022. This positive progress was acknowledged by the CQC and the DCC and resulted in our rating being improved from ‘inadequate’ to ‘needs improvement’.

"We are fully engaged in continuing our efforts with the aim to win back our long-standing rating of ‘Good’. Examples evidencing our improvement in all areas have been submitted to both the CQC and the DCC and their comments have been positive.

"Hopefully with the backing of our government, the care sector as a whole will be given the support it so desperately needs to continue to provide quality care for our most valued and vulnerable citizens.”

The Care Quality Commission rated the service in three areas: on how safe it was, how effective it was, and how well-led it was. Grove House was rated ‘inadequate’ for the well-led criteria and ‘requires improvement’ for the safe and effective criteria.

Their reported continued: “Although improvements had been made since the last inspection, systems and processes had not always been operated effectively to ensure people received a safe service where quality was able to improve consistently. The provider did not always understand or comply with regulatory requirements. However, people's care plans were written in a person-centred way, and there were systems to receive feedback from people and their relatives.”

A re-inspection will take place within the next six months.