Owners who rescued failing Northampton care home working to bring it up to scratch

Inspectors' report says Apollo House requires improvement in all areas
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Owners who saved a failing Northampton care home from closure say they are working flat out to bring the service up to scratch.

Argyle House residents were given four weeks to find new placements in March last year.

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Admire Healthcare Ltd took on the home, which has room for 61 residents, in August 2020 and renamed it Apollo House.

Apollo HouseApollo House
Apollo House

A report by regulator Care Quality Commission (CQC) in April this year revealed the home still requires improvement in all areas, but recognised the improvements being made.

Admire Healthcare director Sue Hanspaul said: "We took over a home which had been in difficulties for a number of years and had been rated as inadequate and earmarked for closure under the previous owners.

"Since taking over in August 2020 we have implemented a programme of improvement and worked hard to build a strong team and improve the quality of the service.

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"We recognise the shortfalls highlighted in the report, particularly around documentation, but are pleased that the inspectors recognised that the residents are well cared for and that proper and effective infection control measures are in place.

"We are grateful to the CQC and Clinical Commissioning Group for their support and guidance and we are working with them and the other relevant authorities to drive further improvement."

Failings noted by the report following the unannounced inspection in April included:

■ Unexplained injuries had not always been investigated to establish the cause and to protect people from abuse.

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■ Care plans did not always contain the information required to ensure staff knew the person's needs.

■ Gaps in records of care tasks such as repositioning, fluid charts, oral care, continence needs and skin integrity.

■ Medicine management required improvement — staff had not recorded the reason, time and outcome for administering 'as required' medicines.

■ Some staff had not received all of the training required to support the people living at Apollo House.

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A CQC spokesman said: "We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner."

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