Care home rated good after previous gross failures

An inspection was carried out at Coombe End Court, Marlborough, in May

A care home found to have made gross failings before a resident died from hypothermia no longer requires improvement, a watchdog says.

Joan Chapman, who lived at Coombe End Court care home in Marlborough, was found dead by staff in 2022, after she unlocked a door and walked outside into near-freezing temperatures.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) revisited the care home from 12-15 May and rated it as "good" in all areas, praising staff for their record keeping and kindness towards patients.

A spokesperson for the home said the new rating reflected "the commitment and dedication of the entire team… to delivering safe, effective and compassionate care".

The CQC areas of inspection include safety, effectiveness, caring, responsiveness and how well-led the care home is.

The inspectors noted staff at the home - run by The Orders of St John's Care Trust - took decisions in people's best interests where they did not have capacity, treated people with kindness and compassion and kept good records - including of risk management.

Night-time security was also highlighted positively in the report and inspectors noted confidence in the home's leadership and assurance in its robust action plans.

Home manager and peripatetic operations manager Hannah Mason, said: "I'm so proud of the whole team at Coombe End Court for achieving a good outcome in our recent Care Quality Commission inspection.

"I'm pleased that external bodies have seen what I am privileged to witness every day, a fantastic team who are committed to the care of our residents."