• Care Home
  • Care home

The Gardens Care Home

Overall: Requires improvement read more about inspection ratings

Pondfield Close, Salutation Road, Darlington, County Durham, DL3 8LH (01325) 487777

Provided and run by:
Ascot Care North East Limited

Latest inspection summary

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Our current view of the service

Requires improvement

Updated 12 November 2024

Date of Assessment: 22 November 2024 to 19 December 2024. The Gardens Care Home provides accommodation with nursing and personal care for up to 56 people. There were 52 people living at the home when we visited, some people were living with dementia. This unannounced assessment was partly due to concerns about management changes, staffing levels and the environment. We visited the home on 22 November and 26 November 2024. We asked the provider to send us further information, which they provided on 19 December 2024. We found 1 breach of the regulations relating to good governance. Inconsistent management oversight had led to significant shortfalls, placing people at risk of harm. This included ineffective record keeping for medicines and treatments and management of safeguarding concerns. Some improvements were needed to the environment to ensure it was safe. There were mixed views from people, staff and visitors about whether staffing levels were appropriate to meet people’s needs. There were some gaps in recruitment records. The provider was unable to evidence staff working in the specialist mental health unit had the correct training, skills and support to fulfil their role. Positive behaviour support plans lacked personalised information to help ensure people were supported consistently and sensitively. Improvements were required to ensure the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) was followed. MCA assessments and best interest decision lacked specific information to allow appropriate decisions to be made in the person’s best interest. Some personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPS) were not up to date.

People's experience of the service

Updated 12 November 2024

People and relatives told us they were generally happy with the care provided at The Gardens and people confirmed they felt safe. There were some positive interactions between staff and people using the service. Staff were respectful, attentive and demonstrated a good knowledge of the people they supported. However, the shortfalls we found during our assessment impacted on the quality of people’s experience of living at The Gardens. People and staff said the manager was approachable. However, staff in the specialist mental health unit said there was a lack of management focus on this part of the service.