Archived: Stuart House Residential Home

Updated 5 December 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection was carried out on 12 October 2017 and was unannounced. This meant the provider and staff did not know we would be visiting.

The inspection team consisted of one inspector and an expert by experience who had experience of older people and those living with dementia. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Before the inspection, we asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed the information we held about the service, such as safeguarding information and notifications we had received from the provider. Statutory notifications are when providers send us information about certain changes, events or incidents that occur. As part of the inspection planning process we contacted the local authority and safeguarding team for their feedback; they had no concerns about the service.

During our inspection, we spoke with eight people who used the service and four relatives who were visiting people. We also spoke with the registered manager, four care workers, three ancillary staff (cook, activity co-ordinator and maintenance) and a visiting health care professional. We received feedback after the inspection from two other health care professionals.

We were shown around the building and looked at communal areas and, with people's permission, some private bedrooms. We observed interactions between care workers and people who used the service throughout the inspection.

We reviewed the care records for three people who used the service. We also looked at medication administration records, recruitment and training records for four staff and other records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 5 December 2017

This inspection was carried out on the 12 October 2017 and was unannounced. We last inspected Stuart House in September 2015. At the last inspection we rated the service overall Good with requires improvement for the key question "Is the service effective."

We recommended that the provider considered specific dementia awareness training for staff, improve signage and other memory aids to assist people living at Stuart House with stimulation and recognition. At this inspection we found improvements had been made. We found the service remained Good overall.

Stuart House is a care home which provides accommodation for up to 19 people. The service supports older people, some of whom may be living with dementia. The service is located in Hornsea, a seaside town in the East Riding of Yorkshire. At the time of our inspection there were 19 people using the service.

There was a manager in post who had registered with the Care Quality Commission in May 2017. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People told us the care workers were kind and caring. One person said, “I would be lost without them. They are very kind.”

Care workers knew how to keep people safe and understood their duty to protect people from the risk of abuse. Risks were managed so that people were protected from avoidable harm.

There were enough care workers to keep people safe. Appropriate checks were undertaken to ensure newly recruited care workers were safe to work with people using the service.

Medicines were managed safely and people received them as prescribed.

There were records of essential maintenance and inspections by specialist contractors. Fire safety arrangements were in place. The environment was kept clean and tidy. Infection control measures were in place.

Care workers received relevant training and were supported by senior staff to help them meet people's needs effectively.

We found that the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty (DoLS) 2009 legislation had been adhered to. The registered manager was able to tell us of the people at the service who lacked capacity. We found appropriate DoLS applications had been submitted to the local authority in relation to people's care.

People’s dietary needs had been assessed and arrangements were in place to ensure that people received adequate nutrition. People were satisfied with the meals provided.

The service worked with health care professionals to ensure that people's healthcare needs were met.

People told us they were happy with the activities organised at Stuart House.

Care workers understood people's individual needs in relation to their care. Care plans were in the process of being improved so they were centred on the person and reflected individual's preferences.

There was a complaints procedure for people to raise their concerns.

The registered manager used a selection of methods to assess and monitor the quality of the service. These included surveys and regular audits. Staff and resident meetings were held to seek their views about the service and their opinions to make improvements.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.