Kington care home upgraded from inadequate to good by CQC

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has upgraded The Garth Care Home in Kington, Herefordshire, from inadequate to good after inspectors found significant improvements had been made.

The Garth Care Home, run by Wentworth Care Ltd, provides nursing and personal care to older adults with support needs and dementia. There were 16 people living at the home when CQC carried out its inspection in June and July.

The inspection followed concerns identified during CQC’s previous visit, when the home was rated inadequate, placed into special measures and found to be in breach of regulations.

Inspectors have now found sufficient improvements have been made. The service is no longer in breach of regulations and has been removed from special measures.

CQC upgraded all five areas assessed – safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led – from inadequate to good.

A new nominated individual, registered manager and clinical lead were in place and actively involved during the inspection. CQC found the leadership team had introduced systems and processes to monitor the quality of the service, including regular audits covering areas such as care plans and the home environment.

Inspectors found staff were keeping people safe and providing care that reflected people’s individual needs and preferences.

CQC also identified a change in the culture of the home. Staff said they now felt comfortable raising concerns and were confident they would be listened to. People living at the home and their relatives described it as calm and welcoming, while a professional reported that communication with the service had improved considerably.

The home was working closely with health and social care professionals, helping people receive joined-up and timely care while ensuring their needs were monitored.

Inspectors also found people were supported by a stable and consistent staff team who knew their individual needs and preferences. Staff treated people with kindness, respected their privacy and dignity and encouraged them to maintain as much independence as possible.

Improvements were also being made to the physical environment. The home had started refurbishing communal areas to make them more comfortable and homely, with further work planned.

CQC did identify an issue with water temperatures in parts of the home being too hot. However, leaders were already aware of the problem and had taken steps to address it.

Amanda Lyndon, CQC’s deputy director of adult social care in the West Midlands, said the home had been transformed since CQC’s previous inspection and credited the new leadership team with making significant changes in a relatively short period.

CQC said the improvements demonstrated what could be achieved when services committed to making changes for the benefit of the people they support and will look to see the home continue building on its progress.

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