Alexandra Nursing Home - Poulton-le-Fylde

We undertook this assessment following information of concern received about staffing levels, training, the management of people’s health needs, and the cleanliness of the home.

We assessed all quality statements from the key questions of safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.

At this assessment we found three breaches of the legal regulations in relation to staffing levels, safe care and treatment and governance. Staffing levels were not consistently adequate to ensure people’s safety and meet their needs. Medicines were not consistently managed safely. People did not always have correct information in their care plans to guide safe practice. Governance systems and audits were not always effective in identifying or addressing areas for improvement.

Alexandra Nursing Home was separated into 4 different areas. These were known as communities, with each community having a community manager. People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected their privacy and dignity. They treated people as individuals and supported their preferences. People were supported to maintain relationships with family and friends.

Staff were aware of their responsibilities to raise concerns with the safeguarding authorities if they felt people were at risk of harm or abuse. Information on safeguarding was available to people and those who were important to them, so they could raise concerns externally if they wished to do so.

People had enough to eat and drink to stay healthy. Staff worked with all agencies involved in people’s care for the best outcomes and to support smooth transitions when moving between services. They monitored people’s health to support healthy living. Staff made sure people understood their care and treatment to enable them to give informed consent. Staff involved appropriate specialists to help make important decisions that were in people’s best interests.

In instances where CQC have decided to take civil enforcement action against a provider, we will publish this information on our website after any representations and/ or appeals have been concluded.

We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this inspection.