St Vincent's Care Limited

Updated 19 May 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

The inspection was carried out by 2 inspectors.

Service and service type

St Vincent’s Care Limited is a ‘care home’. 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. St Vincent’s Care Limited is a care home without nursing care. 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

For example: We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spent time talking with people and staff and looking around the service. We spoke with 7 people who lived at the service and 9 staff. Staff included the owner, the registered manager, deputy manager, the activities co-ordinator, the chef, the person responsible for maintenance and 3 care staff. We spoke with 4 relatives and contacted 4 professionals who visit the service.

We looked at a range of documents including 8 care plans and associated documents relating to risk management. We spent time looking at procedures relating to medicines and looked at 8 medication administration records (MAR). We looked at documents relating to accidents and incidents, safeguarding and staff recruitment and training.

Updated 19 May 2023

About the service

St Vincent’s Care Limited is a residential care home providing regulated activities to up to 24 people in one adapted building. The service provides support to people living with dementia and a range of other health needs for example, Parkinson’s disease and people needing support with their mobility. At the time of our inspection there were 15 people using the service.

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

People were safe and were protected from harm. Risks to people were managed and documentation reviewed and updated regularly. People were supported by a staff team who knew them well and who had been recruited safely. Medicines were stored, administered and recorded by trained staff. The service was clean and staff wore appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), when supporting people. Accidents and incidents were recorded and reviewed by managers with any lessons learned shared with all staff.

A thorough pre-assessment was carried out with people and their relatives prior to admission to the service. People were supported to have appointments and access to other health and social care professionals. Staff had received training in all areas that enabled them to support people. The service had been adapted and was accessible to everyone, regardless of their mobility needs. People’s nutrition and hydration needs had been considered and met.

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.

Staff treated people with kindness and respect. People’s dignity was maintained at all times and their privacy respected. People were encouraged to be independent with daily tasks by a staffing team who were always there to step in a support people when needed.

Care plans were person centred, providing a background to people’s personal stories as well as giving detail about their health and care support needs. People’s communication needs were met by trained staff. A full time activities co-ordinator provided a range of daily activities for people either in small groups or 1 to 1. People and their loved ones told us they were confident to raise issues of concern if needed and people received appropriate care and support towards the end of their lives.

Everyone spoke well of the registered manager and the wider management team. Regular auditing of systems and processes meant that any patterns or trends were quickly identified. People, their relatives and staff all had regular opportunities to provide feedback about how the service was run.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for the service was good (published 7 March 2018)

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service and the age of the last rating.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Follow up

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