The manager of one North Herts nursing home has questioned the use of the term ‘requires improvement’, calling its broad use misleading.

The manager of one North Herts nursing home has questioned the use of the term ‘requires improvement’, calling its broad use misleading.

Belinda Webb, who manages Monread Lodge between Knebworth and Woolmer Green, told the Comet: “When a home is graded as ‘requires improvement’ by the Care Quality Commission what does this actually mean?

“We believe that the terminology can be very misleading since it suggests that such a home is not fit for purpose. This isn’t the case and it can create unnecessary confusion.

“Homes graded overall as requires improvement and which are not given an inadequate rating in one of the five key areas do not have to make any changes to be compliant with regulations and indeed are unlikely to be visited again by the CQC for at least a year.

“This can very frustrating since when improvements are made, there is no way of having this reflected in a report.

“It is also a very broad category, for example a home that is graded as good in three areas and requires improvement in two areas will be graded overall as requires improvement.

“However, a home that is graded as requires improvement in four areas and inadequate in one will also be graded as requires improvement overall.”

This article forms part of a wider investigation into the care home industry which has been running in the Comet for the past two weeks. Read them in full via our three e-editions.