9 February 2018
During a routine inspection
The Franciscan Convent, Residential Home in Braintree is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
The Franciscan Convent Residential Home -Braintree is run by nuns from a Catholic religious order and is part of a larger convent with its own church. The service provides accommodation for up to 12 older people. At the time of our inspection ten people were living there and all the rooms were being used as single occupancy. The service operates over two floors with the communal areas on the ground floor and the bedrooms on the first floor, which are accessed via a lift.
At our last inspection in November 2015 we rated the Franciscan Convent Residential Home -Braintree good overall, but identified a shortfall with the recruitment of staff in that a newly appointed member of staff did not have all the required safety checks in place. At this inspection we found that the recruitment processes had been strengthened and the service remained good.
There was a registered manager in post who has managed the service for a number of years. 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.
Procedures were in place to safeguard people who used the service from the potential risk of abuse. Staff understood the different types of abuse and knew how to report whistleblowing and safeguarding concerns.
The service benefited from being a small service with a stable staff team who knew the people living in the service well. There were sufficient numbers of staff available to meet people’s individual needs.
Risks to people’s health and wellbeing were identified and steps taken to minimise the likelihood of injury. Accidents were logged and used to identify learning. The building was well maintained and equipment checked to ensure that it was working effectively. The service was clean and staff were clear about their responsibilities to reduce the likelihood of infection by using personal protective equipment.
Medicines were safely stored and administered as prescribed. Regular checks were undertaken on the management of medicines to ensure that they were being managed safely.
Staff we spoke with had an understanding of the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA 2005). Capacity to make specific decisions was recorded in people's care plans. People had maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The registered manager confirmed that they had submitted relevant deprivation of liberty applications to the local authority.
There was an induction and training programme, which supported staff to develop their knowledge and skills. Staff received supervision and appraisals to enable them to provide appropriate care to people.
People enjoyed the food and had choice of what they wanted to eat. Their nutritional and hydration needs were monitored and they were provided with drinks and snacks throughout the day. People received appropriate healthcare support as and when needed from a number of professional services. The service worked together with other organisations to ensure people received coordinated care and support.
People were treated with care, kindness, dignity and respect. Staff had good relationships with those living in the service and their relatives. People were encouraged to be as independent as they could be.
Care plans were in place to guide staff and these were regularly reviewed and updated. People’s needs were monitored and there were daily handovers to ensure that staff had the information they needed to support people appropriately. People were encouraged to maintain interests and relationships with those important to them.
There were systems in place to deal with complaints although none had been made since our last inspection. People were involved in resident meetings where their views and opinions were asked for and their responses were recorded.
People living in the service and staff spoke highly of the management of the service. They described them as approachable and supportive. There was a positive culture within the service that was person-centred and inclusive. Suitable arrangements were in place to assess and monitor the quality of the service provided.