Seaford care home gets Good rating after CQC receives ‘information of concern regarding falls management’

Blatchington Manor on Firle Road offers accommodation for people who need nursing or personal care, as well care for adults over 65 and care for those with dementia.

The service is provided by South Coast Nursing Homes and now has a ‘Good’ rating for all categories – Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led.

A South Coast Nursing Homes spokesperson said: “The team at Blatchington Manor Care Home are delighted to have recently been recognised by CQC for the care they provide to older adults living with dementia. Our mission at South Coast Nursing Home is to recognise that every person is unique and the care team take great pride in tailoring our service to every residents individual needs. It takes a great team of different skills to run a care home and the team in Seaford pull together every day to provide a safe and stimulating setting for our residents.”

Managing director Sarah Hazell said “Blatchington Manor has been a shining star in our business of care homes for many years now. The team provide excellent care for residents whose needs are so important to fulfil, I am extremely proud of the work they do and the positive outcomes they create.”

The CQC said its assessment was from July 11-25 and the report is at www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-4834076781. The CQC said they undertook it after receiving ‘information of concern regarding falls management at the home’. The CQC said they had ‘received reports that people were falling regularly’, as well as concerns about general care.

The report said: “We found that people were at risk of falls and there had been some previous gaps, however the service had been working closely with external agencies improve this quickly and manage and minimise risks to people.”

The CQC said the home had robust care plans and risk assessments in place but said some documentation ‘could be improved’, like food and fluid charts. However, they said the management team had already put measures in place to address this.

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The report said: “There was a positive learning culture at the service and staff spoke of pride in working for the home. People told us they felt safe, and relatives commented on how kind and caring staff were. Regular training was undertaken to ensure staff knowledge remained up-to-date and relevant to best support people living at Blatchington Manor.”

The report said people and their relatives spoke ‘mostly positively’ about Blatchington Manor, adding that they were comfortable around staff. It continued: “Feedback about staffing levels at the home was mixed, with some relatives commenting that there were not enough staff. However, they were complimentary about the staff practice and told us they were kind and caring. Our observations confirmed this.”

It added: “Relatives were involved in their loved one’s care and told us the management team were responsive and approachable for any issues to be raised and addressed.”

The CQC said they did not look into the key categories of Responsive, Caring or Effective during the recent assessment, so the ‘Good’ ratings for these categories are based on the previous ones.