Background to this inspection
Updated
22 August 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
This inspection was carried out by 2 inspectors and 2 Experts by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.
Service and service type
Rockdale House 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. Rockdale House 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
We reviewed the information we held about the service including information submitted to CQC by the provider about specific incidents. 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 sought feedback from the local authority contracts monitoring team, healthcare professionals and safeguarding adults' teams and reviewed the information they provided. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke to 5 people who used the service, 19 relatives, and 10 members of staff. This included the registered manager, care staff, the head of care, housekeeper and maintenance person. We carried out observations in the communal areas of the home.
We reviewed a range of records. This included 8 people's care and medicine records, and the recruitment records for 4 members of staff. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were also reviewed.
Updated
22 August 2023
About the service
Rockdale House is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to up to 50 people. The service provides support to people aged 65 and over, some of whom were living with a dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 38 people using the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found:
People told us they felt safe living at the home and were happy with the care provided by staff. Relatives gave positive feedback about the service. A relative told us, “We’re absolutely delighted we got her into Rockdale. The staff are always lovely and friendly. She’s very happy. She’s enjoyed it. [Person] is always vocal about the nice staff. She’s treated with respect, e.g. when she asks for female staff. They do all the right things.”
People were safe living at the service and were protected from potential abuse. The home environment had improved and there was a calm, relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. People, relatives and staff were positively engaged by the registered manager.
Medicines were managed safely and there was appropriate clinical oversight in place. Risks which were not related to continence care or skin integrity, were well managed and there were detailed assessments for staff to follow to keep people safe.
Staffing levels had been reviewed regularly to make sure people's needs were met. Staff were recruited safely and provided with on-going training and support.
There was an effective quality and assurance systems in place. Checks and audits identified areas for improvement by the registered manager, who was already taking action to change processes.
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.
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 this service was good (published 18 October 2018).
Why we inspected
We received concerns in relation to risk management around pressure damage and skin integrity issues. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only.
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.
For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.
The overall rating for the service has not changed based on the findings of this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Rockdale House on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.