Staff shortages prompts CQC to tell new care home in Ware it ‘requires improvement’

A new care home in Ware has been told it must improve after its first inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Snowdrop House, which opened in September 2017, was given an overall rating as ‘requires improvement’, after being found that the business was not always safe and led well by staff.

The report published in July rated the home as ‘good’ in three of the five categories, but highlighted a number of areas where staff and management were lacking.

Story continues below

Advertisement

Residents on the ground floor were tended to promptly, according to the report on the home’s safety, but those on the first floor have to wait longer.

Inspectors noted ‘mixed views’ from staff when it came to numbers, with one admitting shifts can be hard when anyone is not in.

The report highlighted the home’s management as an area for improvement after staff and relatives gave a mixed response about the leadership.

On the home’s lack of teamwork, the report notes: “We found that the staff team was still developing and newly employed staff members were constantly scheduled to start.

“This was because the home only opened in September 2017 and it was not at full capacity.

“Therefore, the staff team had not yet had the time to get to know each other well and work as a team.”

The report praised the service given, however, with residents speaking positively about the activities on offer.

A Care UK spokesperson said: “This is a new home and we accept that there is still room for improvement in some areas.

“We were pleased to see that the CQC inspectors found much to praise when they visited us in May.”

The home has room for 70 people but currently houses 35.