RDaSH-run care home in Doncaster requires improvement following Care Quality Commission inspection

A Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) run care home in Doncaster requires improvement following a visit by the Care Quality Commission (CQC)

Danescourt, at Rectory Gardens off Thorne Road, is a care home providing accommodation and personal or nursing care for up to six adults with learning disabilities. At the time of the assessment, four people were receiving care and support.

Inspectors completed a comprehensive assessment due to the time elapsed since the previous inspection, where the service was rated Good. Following this assessment, the overall rating changed to Requires Improvement. They identified three breaches of regulation relating to consent, good governance, and safe care and treatment.

Their report read: “We assessed the service against the principles of Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture. The provider could not demonstrate these were consistently met in practice.

“Improvements were required to ensure records, risk management systems, medicines processes and oversight arrangements were robust, accurate and reflective of people’s current needs.

“Care records and risk assessments, although reviewed, lacked sufficient detail to guide staff in meeting assessed needs.”

It continued: “Staff were not trained to administer medicines when people were out in the community, which meant people could not always access medicines in a flexible and person-centred way. This created restrictions on how people accessed activities and increased the risk of unmet health needs.

“Records did not demonstrate people had consented to care or, where capacity was in doubt, there were not always records available to demonstrate assessments of capacity had been completed. Staff told us, and records indicated, some people may lack capacity.

“Environmental risks were identified on the first day of inspection, including unsafe storage of hazardous substances and an obstructed fire exit. These were addressed promptly; however, they highlighted the need for improvements to routine safety checks and oversight arrangements.

“Oversight by the registered manager and provider governance systems had not consistently identified or addressed the concerns found during this assessment and required strengthening. Information requested during the assessment was not always readily available at the time it was requested, which limited timely assurance regarding some areas of risk, quality and governance. Improvements were made in response to concerns raised during the inspection; however, further action was required to address all areas identified.”

People were involved in their care, including choosing their food and drink and taking part in developing life skills. People told inspectors that staff were kind and caring and that they felt safe. Staff worked with other professionals to support positive outcomes and smooth transitions between services.

The CQC requested an action plan from the provider in response to the concerns identified.

The spokesman continued: “We spoke with three people who were all positive about their experience of living at Danescourt. Each person expressed satisfaction with the care and support they received, and all confirmed that they felt safe living at the service.

“One person said, “Yes, I like it here, I like the staff”. We observed warm, positive engagement between staff and people.

“Interactions were respectful and kind, and people were treated with dignity. Staff showed a good understanding of individuals’ needs, preferences, and communication styles, supporting positive relationships.

“People were observed to be actively and meaningfully engaged throughout the day. They participated in activities, hobbies, and day-to-day routines with support from staff, which contributed to a sense of purpose and inclusion.”