Marsh House

Updated 3 March 2023

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

Two inspectors carried out the inspection.

Service and service type

Marsh House is a ‘care home’ without nursing care. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority, Healthwatch and professionals who work with the service. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 4 people who used the service and 3 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 10 members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager, senior carers, carers, housekeeping and maintenance staff. We also spoke with the head of compliance and the quality support manager. We had a walk around the home to make sure it was homely, suitable and safe. We observed the care and support people received. This helped us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people's care records and multiple medication records. We reviewed a variety of records related to the management of the service, including policies and procedures.

Updated 3 March 2023

About the service

Marsh House is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to 28 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 33 people. The home is situated in a rural area close to the towns of Chorley and Leyland. There is a large dining room, communal areas and a conservatory area. A well maintained garden is available at the rear of the home for people's leisure.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

The provider had various methods to assess, monitor and improve the quality of the service, however, these had not identified and addressed the issues we found. We have made a recommendation about this. We have also made a recommendation about the management of some medicines. The home was clean and hygienic, and staff were seen to wear appropriate personal protective equipment. Staff were employed following a safe and robust recruitment process. Safeguarding training was mandatory, and staff were aware of the processes to follow to ensure they could keep people safe.

Staff felt supported by the management team through the induction and ongoing training they received. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Mealtimes were relaxed and organised around people's individual daily routines. People were supported to have access to healthcare professionals and their healthcare needs had been met. The service worked in partnership with other organisations to ensure they followed good practice and people in their care were safe.

People and staff told us there was a very positive culture at Marsh House. One staff member explained, “[Registered manager] likes positivity, she wants a happy place for staff and residents.” The management team positively engaged in the inspection process and the registered manager clearly understood their regulatory responsibilities. The registered and deputy manager had been responsive in implementing positive change and working with health and social care professionals to improve people’s quality of life.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 11 February 2022).

The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve.

At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulation 12 (Safe care and treatment) and regulation 17 (Good governance).

Why we inspected

We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection of this service on 09 November 2021. Breaches of legal requirements were found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve safe care and treatment and staffing.

We undertook this inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good based on the findings of this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Marsh House on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Recommendations

We have made recommendations related to the safe storage of controlled drugs and good governance.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.