Bognor Regis care home falls from 'good' to 'requires improvement', new reports says

Gracelands Care Home, in Richmond Avenue, has fallen from 'good' to 'requires improvement' after a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors found issues in a number of areas. #

The care home is a residential facility, providing accommodation and personal care to patients living with dementia and a range of other healthcare needs. At the time of the inspection, Gracelands had 17 live-in residents, but it maintains the facilities for up to 31.

It was inspected after the CQC received reports related to staffing levels and risk management at the care home. Of particular interest to inspectors was a reported lack of record-keeping for incidents and accidents.

Indeed, inspectors said they received 'mixed feedback' about how well incidents and accidents were communicated to them.

"Overall, relatives we spoke with felt people were kept safe from harm," the report said, "but they had not always been informed promptly when accidents were experienced. One relative told us they were informed by the hospital rather than the home when their loved one was admitted following a fall."

Other, more direct problems with the record-keeping system concerned residents themselves. The report said that: 'people's records were not consistently kept up to date. We found 3 care plans where the person was due to be weighed weekly, but their records showed this had only happened monthly at times since September 2021. The provider's audit system had not identified these gaps or improved the records during this time."

The report also found that some aspects of the building and facilities therein had not been well-maintained. Alongside unsafe flooring which was identified in a prior inspection, there were also reports that the hot water system was unreliable and ineffective. One member of staff told inspectors they had to take hot water from other parts of the building due to the failures of the water system.

Oil filled radiators were being used to supplement the faulty central heating system but these were far from ideal: "We found one of these radiators was hot to the touch," the report said. "Increasing risk of harm to people, particularly with sensitive skin."

To see the full report, click here. Read more

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