Aldbourne Nursing Home

The following is CQC's published account of its assessment, published 8 March 2024. References to “we” mean CQC. It describes findings at that time.

Aldbourne Nursing Home is a care home, providing the regulated activity of Accommodation for persons who require nursing or personal care, for up to 40 people. At the time of our assessment, there were 33 people at the service. We conducted an unannounced on-site assessment on the 16 January 2024. 2 inspectors undertook this. People felt safe and relatives had no concerns about safety. Staff completed safeguarding training and understood their role in keeping people safe. They knew how to report any safeguarding concerns and were confident leaders would take appropriate action. Staff had applied to the local authority for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) authorisations where needed. However, two authorisations had conditions attached and staff had not always clearly documented how they were being met. This meant the provider could not ensure the DoLS authorisation was being complied with. By the end of our on-site visit, staff had taken action to address this. Risks were assessed and risk management plans were in place. These were detailed and gave staff clear guidance on what to do to support people safely. However, one person had not been repositioned in line with guidance. This placed them at risk of developing a pressure sore. Leaders promptly addressed this, which minimised the risk of a reoccurrence. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs. Staff had been recruited safely with all pre-employment checks completed prior to them starting. A less formal process was being used to recruit volunteers, which was not in line with the provider’s policy. This was addressed following our on-site visit. Staff received ongoing training and support and said they were competent to carry out their roles and responsibilities. People were able to have visitors at any time and be part of the community. Each person had a care plan which they helped develop and review. People were able to receive support and advice from healthcare professionals when needed.