Priesty Fields Care Home

The following is CQC's published account of its assessment, published 2 September 2025. References to “we” mean CQC. It describes findings at that time.

Date of assessment:11 July to 4 August 2025, with site visits on 11, 15, 18 and 22 July 2025.The service is a care home providing support for up to 78 people, including older people with nursing needs and those living with dementia. At the time of the inspection 42 people were living at Priesty Fields Care Home.This assessment was to follow up on actions required after the last assessment. The provider was previously in breach of regulations relating to safe care, staffing, premises, safeguarding, fit and proper persons, person-centred care, nutritional needs, good governance and duty of candour. We rated the service as inadequate, and we issued warning notices in relation to safeguarding and governance.

At this assessment we assessed the key questions of safe, caring and well-led. We found the provider had made some improvements and met some of the breaches but remained in breach of regulations related to safe care and treatment, safeguarding and governance. The overall rating for the service has improved to requires improvement.Overall, we found an improving picture, however, we identified ongoing shortfalls in various areas including the assessment and recording of risk, medicines management, identifying and reporting safeguarding concerns and the governance of the service. These shortfalls indicated practice was not always consistent and changes which were in-progress needed to be further embedded and sustained.

Improvements to the service appeared evident since the provider had more recently introduced a new management team. An external consultancy organisation was temporarily supporting the provider to make improvements. Further changes were planned as a new permanent manager and clinical deputy manager had been appointed and were due to start.The management team had focused on improving the culture of the service and ensuring any safeguarding concerns were reported appropriately and lessons were learnt from accidents and incidents. Managers had introduced various systems in identify and address staff performance issues. New staff had been recruited and staff felt better supported through training and supervision. Staff morale was improving, and they said managers would now listen to them.

The provider had made improvements to the safety and cleanliness of the environment. Health and safety checks were undertaken. There was a focus on developing people’s care plans and supporting them with person centred goals.However, the provider’s governance and audits had not effectively identified and addressed all the issues we identified at this assessment. The provider was responsive to our feedback, and they took some immediate actions.

This service has been in Special Measures since 5 June 2025. The provider demonstrated some improvements have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate overall or in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures.We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.