Care home near Market Drayton 'requires improvement' as CQC flags 'poor morale' among staff
A care home has been told to improve after a visit from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
A CQC report published this week gave the Tunstall Hall Care Centre just outside Market Drayton a 'requires improvement' rating.
The assessment, undertaken between February and May, was prompted by concerns about staff training around dementia care and concerns about how the home provided support for people living with dementia.
During the assessment period, inspectors raised concerns over the management of risks, the storing of medicine and the manner in which staff referred to residents.
The report stated that, while risk assessments were in place, risks to people were "not always managed safely, particularly in relation to their nutrition and fluid intake".
It continued: "People’s medicines were not always stored safely and we found some discrepancies with the recording of medicine administration.
"People were not always referred to in a dignified way in care plans and in the way staff spoke about them. Staff told us they had observed some colleagues speak with people in a way that was not always kind and caring."
The report also stated that staff informed the CQC that "morale at the home was poor" and they "did not always feel they were treated equally".
In the report, a spokesperson for the CQC said the provider was previously in breach of "the legal regulation in relation to governance" and that improvements were not found at the latest assessment. As such, the provider remained in breach of this regulation.
Despite the concerns, relatives of residents at the home provided the inspectors with positive feedback and were "confident people were safe living at the home".
The home was also found to be clean, and staff wore the required personal protective equipment.
The report added: "People were supported to maintain their independence and engage in activities inside and outside of the home."
A 'requires improvement' rating from the CQC for a care home indicates that the service is not meeting all the necessary standards for a good or outstanding rating, but is not deemed inadequate.
The rating means the CQC has identified areas where the care home needs to improve, and it will monitor progress to ensure changes are made.
Tunstall Hall Care Centre and its service provider, St Philips Care Limited, were approached for comment.
