Eastwood care home 'requires improvement' after recent watchdog inspection

The Rookery Care Home on Church Street was given a ‘Good’ rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for its safe, caring and responsive approach.

But its overall rating was ‘Requires Improvement’ after it was found to be below par in two categories that covered how effective and well-led the home is.

The inspector’s report, published on February 11, said: “The home looked clean and there were cleaning schedules in place; however, some items of the equipment and furniture were visibly worn.

“The deputy home manager told us they would raise this issue with the proprietor.”

The home provides personal care for older people, some of whom live with dementia, and can support up to 30 residents at one time.

Along with criticisms, the planned inspection also led to plenty of praise for the service – which is run by Dual Care Limited.

The home was described as “clean”, while note was made of its ample supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) and successful following of other Covid-19 safety guidelines.

The report continued: “During the recent Covid-19 outbreak some people were self-isolating in their own room. People who were unable to self-isolate because they lived with advanced dementia spent their time in a designated communal areas.

“Enhanced cleaning had been introduced which included regular disinfection of high touch points, such as handrails or door handles.”

But the overall result of the report means the home requires improving before its next inspection.

The Rookery Care Home has been invited to comment on the CQC report, but has so far not responded to the Chad’s request.