Cambridgeshire under-fire care provider's home praised by CQC

The Gables' rating went from requiring improvement to good

A home run by an under-fire care provider has been praised by inspectors as an "organised and well-run service".

The Gables, near Peterborough, has gone from requiring improvement to good in all areas after a recent inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Provider HC-One, suspended from new referrals by Cambridgeshire County Council, was recently criticised at inquests related to a nearby home.

A HC-One spokesperson said it was "pleased" with the CQC report.

Last month HC-One admitted "unacceptable mistakes" in the care of three people who died after living at The Elms in Whittlesey, which later closed over failures.

At inquests into the 2019 deaths of David Poole, 74, Margaret Canham, 97, and George Lowlett, 90, the coroner found shortcomings, poor care and issues with record keeping.

Margaret Canham, David Poole and George Lowlett died having lived at The Elms in 2019

The council has placed an ongoing embargo upon HC-One, preventing referrals to their three remaining homes in the area - including The Gables, which provides personal and nursing care for older people.

CQC inspectors visited The Gables on 1 March and found that "staff were caring and treated people with kindness and respect".

Inspectors went on to state: "Steps were taken to learn lessons if things went wrong.

"Staff felt supported and were confident people received good care. Systems and processes for monitoring quality and safety were effective."

They also found: "Leaders and the culture they created promoted high-quality, person-centred care."

The home can accommodate up to 55 residents but currently had 26 people and while the CQC said "there was enough staff on duty to meet people's needs" a staff member told them: "That might change once we get more residents."

A HC-One spokesperson said it was "pleased to have received a rating of 'good' in all areas... and to read the overwhelmingly positive feedback from our residents and their loved ones who spoke with inspectors at their most recent visit".

"The CQC's latest report has commended the home for its effective approach to quality, staffing, and risk monitoring and management, noting that residents and their relatives feel 'comfortable' and 'reassured'.

"The CQC inspectors also acknowledged our ongoing 'commitment to continuous development' and the measures we have in place to 'drive additional improvements'.

"We have previously acknowledged the challenges we have faced in the Cambridgeshire area, and hope that this report can offer some reassurance to the Cambridgeshire community that the model we have in place to address local issues is working, and that we can move forward in a positive way to deliver a consistently high-quality, supportive service."

The county council told the inquests it planned to keep the embargo in place for at least another 12 months, and has since said the inspection "does not change our decision as we are seeking evidence of sustained longer-term improvements".