Care home boss vows to do better after inspectors demand improvements

The boss of a care home says he is determined to get 'good' ratings across the board when health watchdogs carry out their next inspection.
Meadows Care Home, Boldon CollieryMeadows Care Home, Boldon Colliery
Meadows Care Home, Boldon Colliery

The Meadows Care Home in New Road, Boldon, has been rated overall by the Care Quality Commission as “requiring improvement”.

This is despite the home, now run by Ultima Care Services, scoring “good” in three out of the five areas looked at by inspectors. These include, is the service safe? Is the service caring? Is the service responsive?

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Areas in which the home rated as “requiring improvement” included is the service effective? Is the service well-led?

The home was taken over by Ultima Care Services last September and group chairman Ron McNamara says the company and staff have been working hard to improve on the previous inspection carried out shortly after the takeover, which saw them rated as “requiring improvement” in all areas.

“Since then we have significant improvements have been made”, said Mr McNamara.

“This is a positive report and the only area that has let us down is the submission of documentation to the CQC which was an oversight and has since been addressed.

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“The important thing is sustainability. We are working with a very good team which has been shown in the comments in relations to care and dignity, which is delivered to all our residents.

“I would have loved to have received ‘good’ in all areas, but we are moving in the right direction and the care is rated as good.

“We are all determined that by the next inspection we will receive at least a good rating in all areas.”

In the report, inspectors noted some areas of training had bot been carried out by non-care staff and found no records of staff taking part in a course looking at challenging behaviour.

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They have since advised the home to take a more “robust” approach.

The report highlighted praise from relations and residents at the home with one visiting health visitor saying “I’d be quite comfortable for my own relations to live here”.

It added: “The service ensured there was a rounded approach to caring for people and that all needs were met such as physical, social, emotional and religious.

“Information was made available to staff to ensure they provide care and support to people in the way that they preferred.”

The home specialises in residential and dementia care.