Large care home in Clipstone improves from 'Inadequate' to 'Good' inside two years

Clipstone Hall and Lodge, a private residential home for up to 90 adults, some of whom have dementia, was visited for an unannounced inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in February.

In May 2022, inspectors rated the Mansfield Road home ‘Inadequate’ and placed it in special measures. But when they returned six months later, they found that terrific progress had been made and removed the threat of closure.

Now, the home has been given an overall rating of ‘Good’, even though the manager, Amanda Fields, who was hailed for bringing about the initial improvement, has moved on.

The latest CQC inspection found that Clipstone Hall, one of 12 homes run by the Yorkshire-based company, Rosedale Care Services (formerly Burlington Care Homes) is now managed by Rebecca Barnett.

Feedback was positive, said the inspectors’ report, and Rebecca was praised for being “open, approachable, proactive and knowledgeable”.

"Residents knew how to raise concerns and were confident the manager would respond to any issues they raised,” the report went on.

"They said staff were kind and compassionate. They seemed comfortable and relaxed with staff, who engaged with them in a warm and caring manner, developing trusting relationships.

"Everyone we spoke to said they were confident there were enough staff to assist them in an emergency, and that they felt safe living at the home.”

Clipstone Hall also received ‘Good’ ratings for the sub-categories headed effective, caring, responsive and well-led. However, the CQC said it still required improvement in the category headed safe.

“Risks were not always safely managed,” the report said, and “some residents told us they were not always supported by enough trained competent staff which, at times, impacted on the care they received”.

Activities at the home were also “lacking and needed more variation”. But the home was trying to recruit a new activities co-ordinator and, three weeks after the inspection, residents were treated to an afternoon of musical entertainment with singer Johnny Jalland.

The inspectors referred to claims by staff that their concerns were “not always acted upon” and that they “lacked direction over their daily priorities”. But staff did feel supported “equally and fairly” by the manager and Rosedale.