Crawley care home is told it must improve

Deerswood Lodge care home in Ifield Green was found to be ‘requiring improvement’ following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission in July.

It is the third time in a row that inspectors have given the home - which cares for up to 90 elderly people, some of whom have dementia - such a rating.

The commission revealed its findings in a report out this week which detailed that some improvements had been made since a previous visit to Deerswood Lodge last year. But it said there was still some concern over staffing levels and the maintenance of care records.

In its report, the commission states: “This is the third consecutive time that the home has been rated as Requires Improvement.” However, it rated the home as ‘good’ for care and responsiveness and praised its ‘welcoming atmosphere.’

Liam Scanlon, director of compliance and governance for Shaw Healthcare which runs Deerswood Lodge, said: “We’re very disappointed with the outcome especially as Shaw has its own strict quality guidelines.

“The report highlighted aspects of the service which require attention and they are now the significant focus of senior management.

“We were pleased to see that the report noted an improving picture and highlighted that staff were kind, caring and compassionate and demonstrated respect and people’s privacy and dignity were maintained. It was also noted that there was a fun, lively and welcoming atmosphere at the home.”