A Hove care home “requires improvement”, according to the government’s official watchdog.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said that Grosvenor Lodge, in Old Shoreham Road, on the corner of Bigwood Avenue, had good features but overall required improvement.
The home caters for 30 people who require nursing or personal care, including some with dementia.
It was good at caring for them and good at being responsive – the second best out of four grades.
But when it came to providing safe and effective care and being well led, Grosvenor Lodge required improvement – the second worst out of the four ratings.
In a report published on Thursday (8 August) the CQC said: “Risks to people were not always appropriately recognised and assessed.
“Risks around people’s health diagnoses, behaviour that may challenge and specific healthcare aids had not always been recognised and planned for.
“When people’s behaviour could challenge, this was not always recorded and monitored appropriately.
“Safeguarding was not always reported appropriately when people displayed behaviour that challenged which affected other people.
“People were not always supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff did not support always them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests.
“There was no guidance in place for medicines which were prescribed ‘as required’. Staff were supported when they began administering medicines and their competency to do this was checked but this was not recorded.
“People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect and encouraged to express their views and be involved in their care.
“One person told us, ‘It’s my favourite place to come to.’ Another person’s relative said, ‘I’m happy that she is safe and well looked after.’
“People’s needs were assessed before they moved into the home. Care plans included people’s life histories, hobbies and interests.
“When appropriate, people’s preferences for the end of their lives had been discussed with them and their relatives.
“There were enough staff available to meet people’s needs. Staff were recruited using safe recruitment methods and supported with induction, training and regular supervision. Staff told us they felt supported by the management team.
“People were supported to eat and drink, staff knew about anyone with specialist needs around food. People were supported to access health care support as needed. Staff worked in partnership with other agencies and professionals to support people.”
The unannounced inspection was carried out on Thursday 13 June and comes just over three years after the previous CQC inspection which found the home to be good.
The home is a family business run by Maria Holliday-Welch, her husband Scott Welch and daughter Angela Brown. It was opened 20 years ago. The registered manager is Kim Long.
The family’s aim was to create somewhere welcoming and homely that would be “a wonderful place in which elderly people could enjoy a real quality of life”.
According to the care home’s website, staff are trained “to make life as full as possible for each and every resident”.
The family also run Fairdene Lodge, in Walsingham Road, Hove, which was set up by Mrs Holliday-Welch’s late father Tom. It was also found to require improvement in a CQC report published in June.
In the Grosvenor Lodge report, the CQC added: “We will request an action plan for the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety.
“We will work alongside the provider and local authority (Brighton and Hove City Council) to monitor progress.
“We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.”
Middleton grove in Portland road should be inspected without warning my mother who had full stroke all nursing care was in there for 2 weeks respite . I had to physically remove her after 3 days .a safeguarding was raised not hears anymore . The cmnursing carecwas outrageous and uf I had left my mother there any longer she would have died