‘POOR levels of compliance’ with regulations at a government-run nursing home, as well as a failure to make improvements have been highlighted in a Jersey Care Commission report.
The report into Sandybrook in St Peter, published by the independent care regulator this week, follows three visits to the home by inspectors during October.
It highlights the good quality of care provided to the home’s 25 residents by a ‘kind- and-caring’ team of staff, but also notes concerns about leadership, record-keeping, visiting hours, safety risks and a change to laundry arrangements.
In a summary of its inspections, the report states: ‘There was a poor level of compliance with a number of regulations and standards and there has been little progress made with the areas for improvement that were made at the last inspection [in January 2022].
‘The overall management, leadership and governance arrangements require improvement… to ensure that the home is led in accordance with the statement of purpose and… that there is adequate oversight to demonstrate that the service is safe, effective, and compliant with regulations and standards.’
Inspectors outlined the results of conversations with staff at Sandybrook, who stated that changes in management had ‘destabilised the leadership of the home’. These changes included there being no registered manager in place and an interim manager having been appointed a few weeks prior to the inspection.
Feedback from relatives of those living at the home also formed part of the report, including one comment that ‘Sandybrook always appears to be under pressure and short-staffed – it is common to hear room alarms sounding continuously and not see a member of staff’.
The redeployment of the home’s laundry assistant – an employee described as a ‘lovely lady’ by one interviewee – to a central facility was highlighted, with this move resulting in negative feedback from residents and relatives about delays in clothing being returned and damage to one resident’s favourite item of clothing.
Having two set periods for visiting was described as ‘awkward’ by one relative, limiting the ability to see relatives, and cited in the report as an area for improvement, with a change to a single, longer visiting period of 11am to 7.30pm daily having now been introduced.
Positive feedback about the home included the ‘clean-and-hygienic’ environment, as well as praise from residents and their relatives about the care provided.
One relative stated: ‘We’re generally really impressed with the care and impressed with the nurses and majority of carers.
‘The location of the home is lovely and the gardens are nice and there’s a nice variation with the arts and crafts and the activities lady is very good.’
A total of 14 areas for improvement are highlighted, including the need for a rigorous approach to the way care needs are assessed, a review of staffing levels and a greater focus on reporting notifiable events to the commission.
The report includes responses from the Health Department including commitments to tackle the areas highlighted for improvement. They include a staffing review to be completed by the end of 2022, a greater provision of information to residents and relatives, and beginning the recruitment process for a home manager in January 2023.
