By Isle of Wight Observer
A Newport care home has been downgraded from “good” to “requires improvement” following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Inspectors assessed Cornelia Manor, in Watergate Road, between August 18 and September 8. The home, which provides accommodation and personal care for up to 34 older people, including some living with dementia, was found to require improvement overall. The home is run by Hillview Care Ltd, which also runs a care home in Wimborne, Dorset.
The CQC rated Cornelia Manor as “requires improvement” for both safety and leadership, while its ratings for effectiveness, caring and responsiveness remained “good”.
Inspectors identified breaches of regulations relating to safe care and treatment, staffing, governance, premises and equipment, and the reporting of incidents. Concerns were raised about medicines management and a number of environmental safety issues, including fire safety measures, legionella monitoring and bedrail safety.
The report found some fire safety actions identified by external specialists had not been completed within the required timescales. Inspectors also found gaps in water safety monitoring and concerns over window restrictors and exposed pipework.
Staffing levels were another area of concern. While residents and relatives described staff as kind and caring, many spoke of delays in answering call bells and a lack of visible staff. Inspectors observed interactions were often task-focused, with limited meaningful engagement with residents.
The CQC also concluded that governance systems had not effectively identified or addressed all areas of concern, leaving people potentially exposed to avoidable risks.
However, the report noted positive feedback about the home’s management team, with residents, relatives and healthcare professionals describing leaders as approachable and committed to improvement. Inspectors said the manager and deputy manager had already introduced new systems and responded positively to feedback following the assessment.
Mal Butler