A care home has improved after a previous ‘inadequate’ CQC rating.

69 Chartridge Lane in Chesham was placed in special measures by the Care Quality Commission last year after the watchdog found shortcomings with safety and leadership.

During the April inspection last year, the two categories were rated as ‘inadequate’ – the lowest available score – while the other categories were ‘requires improvement’.

Now the home run by Centurion Health Care Limited has improved to ‘good’, an inspection by the CQC in July found.

The safety, effectiveness, care, responsiveness and leadership categories are all now ‘good’ and the service is no longer in breach of regulations and in special measures.

A relative to the CQC: “We feel that the care at Chartridge Lane has improved vastly. When we last visited the change was palpable from our previous visit. The staff and residents were very friendly and happy with a much greater interaction in a relaxed atmosphere."

Relatives said communication had improved.

One said: “We receive monthly updates from the [registered manager] who has asked [person's] consent for this. We find this very helpful as there is now greater interaction with us too."

The inspectors also witnessed and relatives told them that people were treated with kindness and their privacy was respected by staff at the residential home, which looked after six people at the time of the inspection on July 31.

The report said: “At the last inspection, the provider had not taken all necessary action to reduce potential risks. For example, the provider had not ensured staffing levels were adequate overnight in the event of an emergency evacuation such as a fire. At this inspection, we saw staffing levels had been adjusted so people were supported safely in the event of an emergency.”

Staffing levels were not enough to “keep people safe” during the previous inspection, the CQC said.

At the new inspection, staffing levels were “adequate and there was a consistent staff team” and people’s requests for support were responded to “in a timely way,” the report noted.

The CQC said: “At the last inspection, there was no evidence that staff had received training and competency checks to ensure medicines were administered safely. We also found medicines had not been audited regularly to check for any errors. At this inspection we saw that people received their medicines as prescribed and by staff trained in the management of medicine who had their competency regularly assessed.”

Centurion Health Care Limited was contacted for a comment.