Northampton care home set six-month deadline to get better after being labelled inadequate by inspectors

Damning report highlights concerns over personal hygiene, nutrition, wounds and medicines
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

A Northampton care home has been given a six-month deadline to improve after being placed in 'special measures.'

Care Quality Commission inspectors' damning report listed a series of failings at Kingsthorpe Grange, in Harborough Road following a visit in November 2021.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It revealed care home owners promised action after a critical report in September 2021 said it required improvement.

Kingsthoirpe Grange Care HomeKingsthoirpe Grange Care Home
Kingsthoirpe Grange Care Home

But inspectors said they re-visited the home, which cares for up to 51 people living with mental health conditions and dementia, following tip-offs about the level of people's personal hygiene, nutrition, wounds and medicines.

The report said: "At the last inspection the provider was in breach of regulations relating to safe care and treatment and managerial oversight.

"We asked the provider to send us action plans to show what they were doing to implement and sustain improvements. The provider told us they would be compliant with these regulations by September 30, 2021.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"At this inspection enough improvement had not been made and the provider was still in breach of regulations. We have identified five breaches in relation to safe care and treatment, staff training, nutrition, dignity and management oversight."

CQC reports grade care homes at four levels: outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate.

The report added: "The overall rating for this service is 'inadequate' and the service is therefore in 'special measures'.

"This means we will keep the service under review and, if we do not propose to cancel the provider's registration, we will re-inspect within six months to check for significant improvements.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"If the provider has not made enough improvement within this timeframe and there is still a rating of inadequate for any key question or overall rating, we will take action in line with our enforcement procedures.

"This will mean we will begin the process of preventing the provider from operating this service. This will usually lead to cancellation of their registration or to varying the conditions the registration."

Kingsthorpe Grange is one of six homes in and around Northampton operated by St Mathew's Healthcare, based in Kingsley. It had 45 residents at the time of the visit. Two others — Broomhill mental health hospital at Spratton and the St Matthews Unit in Kingsley — are currently rated as requiring improvement by the CQC.

St Mathew's Hospital, The Avenue and The Dallingtons are all rated good.

St Mathew's Healthcare did not respond to requests for comment.

Related topics: