Home bounces back with good rating

AVALON Park Nursing Home has been rated as good by inspectors

A NURSING home has bounced back after receiving an 'inadequate' rating from Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors.

Salem-based Avalon Park Nursing Home has been awarded a 'good' across four of five assessed areas following an unannounced inspection.

In April 2016, managers at the Dove Street site issued a humbling apology in response to the CQC's decision to place the home in special measures.

Their previous inspection found nine health and social care breaches, including moving call bells out of the reach of residents, hygiene problems and medicines left unsecured.

But Avalon Park which is operated by HC-One has climbed up not just one but two levels receiving a 'good' for its care provision, quality of leadership, responsiveness and effectiveness. Although inspectors said that safety 'requires improvement'.

HC-One Avalon Park acting home manager Jackie Whittacker said: "This report is testament to the hard work that each and every member of the team has put in day in day out to ensure Avalon Park's transformation and we are delighted to see it being recognised.

"We have worked together as a team to deliver this turnaround."

A two-day inspection was undertaken at Avalon Park in November 2016. There were 38 residents living at the home at that time.

CQC inspectors said in the report: "We found significant and major improvements had been made. As a result of the improvements the service is no longer rated 'inadequate' and has moved out of special measures."

Inspectors found a new manager had been recruited at the home and there had been a large turnover of staff.

In response to their previous outcome the nursing home decided not to provide nursing care, instead focussing on providing personal care.

The CQC said: "We observed staff giving positive and caring support to people.

"However, we also identified some areas where improvements were still required."

Inspectors recorded that "at times there was no oversight of people in communal areas for more than 15 minutes."

However they found improvements had been made in staff training.

HC-One managing director Glen Mason, said: "This rating is great news and I would like to thank and congratulate the whole team for their commitment and dedication.

"The health and wellbeing of our residents is at the heart of everything we do."