Supporting a nursing home through regulatory improvement
Duration: 10-12 weeks intensive support
Ongoing Support: Monthly strategic oversight and project support
A standalone nursing home sought external consultancy support following the issue of a Care Improvement Notice by the Care Inspectorate and the commencement of a Large Scale Inquiry (LSI) under Adult Support and Protection procedures.
The existing management team was finding it difficult to deliver the scale and pace of improvement required whilst maintaining day-to-day operational responsibilities. Following an initial assessment, it was agreed that the Director would assume additional operational leadership responsibilities alongside the existing Registered Manager to lead the organisation’s improvement programme.
Given the breadth and complexity of the required improvements, the organisation commissioned external consultancy support to provide strategic leadership, practical implementation and independent oversight throughout the improvement journey.
CONSULTANCY SUPPORT
A Lead Consultant was appointed to coordinate the overall improvement programme and brought in an Associate Consultant with specialist clinical and Care Inspectorate experience to ensure comprehensive support across all aspects of the Care Improvement Notice.
Over approximately 10–12 weeks, consultancy support was provided on-site for two days each week, working collaboratively with the Director, Registered Manager, nursing staff and care staff.
The consultancy approach focused not only on achieving regulatory compliance but also on building organisational capability, strengthening leadership and embedding sustainable systems that would continue beyond the formal improvement process.
WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE
The success of the improvement programme was underpinned by a collaborative consultancy approach that combined strategic leadership, specialist clinical expertise and hands-on implementation support.
Rather than focusing solely on regulatory compliance, the consultancy programme worked alongside the organisation’s leaders and staff to strengthen governance, develop leadership capability and embed practical systems that supported sustainable improvement.
Bringing together complementary consultancy expertise ensured that both organisational and clinical aspects of the improvement programme were addressed in a coordinated way, while regular on-site support maintained momentum throughout a challenging period of change.
We are confident that achieving these outcomes within the required timeframe would have been considerably more difficult without their expertise and guidance
Key Facts
- Challenge: Care improvement notice and Large scale inquiry under ASP
- Duration: Intensive consultancy over approximately 10-12 weeks
- Ongoing Support: Monthly strategic oversign and consultancy support for Director
- Team: Lead consultant and associate with specialist clinical and CI expertise
- Focus Areas: Governance, leadership, clinical oversight, QA and compliance
- Outcome: CI notice and LSI lifted, improved grades, strengthened governance
Key Outcomes
- Care improvement notice completed and Large Scale Inquiry removed following evidence that improvements had been implemented and safeguarding concerns addressed
- Recruitment of new Registered Manager
- Strengthened governance arrangements and leadership oversight
- Improved clinical and care oversight
- Enhanced regularly compliance
- Increased recording practices and documentation
- Improved staff engagement and trust across the home
- Introduction of sustainable quality assurance system
