Rookery Care Home in Eastwood has made progress since receiving a warning notice from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), but inspectors say further improvements are still needed.
The home was originally rated “requires improvement” following an inspection in December, which identified significant shortfalls in areas including the environment, safe care and treatment, medicine management, risk management, staffing, and overall governance. The CQC issued a warning notice in January, citing breaches of legal requirements for safe care and good governance.
A follow-up inspection took place between August 25 and September 10 to assess the home’s response. The latest report noted notable progress in two key areas: caring and safety. Safety received a score of 63 out of 100, reflecting improvements such as cleared entrance and exit routes, removal of scrap vehicles and discarded furniture from the car park, and enhanced infection prevention and control measures. Inspectors observed that vinyl flooring had been installed upstairs, soiled and damaged pressure cushions replaced, and exposed pipes boxed in, addressing previous hygiene concerns.
Despite these advancements, the CQC cautioned that the changes need to be consistently sustained over time. The “well-led” category remained rated as “requires improvement,” with the report highlighting inconsistent leadership and management practices. Inspectors stated that the culture and governance did not always support the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care, noting ongoing issues with staff being able to raise and escalate concerns effectively. Clear accountability and defined roles within the management structure were still lacking.
Other aspects of the home’s operation, including its effectiveness and responsiveness, were not reassessed during this visit and continue to be rated as “requires improvement.” As a result, the overall rating for Rookery Care Home remains unchanged.
Registered manager Lynne Brewell acknowledged that while progress has been made, work remains to demonstrate sustained improvement. She expressed pride in the dedication of the staff and their ongoing commitment to providing quality care to residents. Brewell described the areas still requiring attention as a “work in progress” and said the management team is focused on embedding necessary changes.