Archived: Westfield Care Home

Updated 25 April 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is 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 comprehensive inspection took place on 21 February 2018 and was unannounced.

Before the inspection, we reviewed information we held about the service, which included notifications they had sent us. A notification is information about important events, which the provider is required to send us by law. We also contacted Local Authority commissioners of adult social care services and Healthwatch and asked them for their views of the service provided. We had received some information of concern about infection control procedures at the home. This informed our inspection planning.

We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

The inspection team consisted of an inspector, a specialist advisor who advised us in relation to infection control practices and an Expert 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.

During the inspection, we spoke with three people who used the service, five relatives, two members of the support staff, the senior care staff member, the two registered managers and a representative of the provider. We also spoke with two visiting health and social care professionals. They were a deprivation of liberty safeguard assessor and community nurse.

We looked at all or parts of the records relating to six people who used the service as well as staff recruitment records. We looked at other information related to the running of and the quality of the service. This included quality assurance audits, training information for care staff, staff duty rotas, meeting minutes and arrangements for managing complaints. We asked the registered manager to send us their training matrix and gas safety certificate after the inspection, which they did.

Updated 25 April 2018

We carried out an unannounced inspection of the service on 21 February 2018. Westfield Care Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Westfield Care Home is registered to accommodate up to 45 older people in one building. Some of these people were living with dementia. At the time of the inspection, 12 people were using the service.

Two registered managers were present during the inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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.

During the home’s previous inspection on 26 January 2017, we rated the home overall as ‘Requires Improvement’ although the service was rated as Good for the questions, ‘Is the service effective, caring and well-led?’ During this inspection, we found improvements had been made and the overall rating has now improved to Good.

The home was clean and tidy. However, the provider was currently working towards making required improvements to ensure it met the local clinical commissioning group’s infection control standards. People’s medicines were managed safely however, protocols for the consistent administration of as needed medicines were not always in place. The risks to people’s safety had been assessed and care plans were in place to support people safely. Some risk assessments would benefit from more personalised information to ensure they were always specific to people’s individual needs. People were protected against the risks of experiencing avoidable harm. Staff could identify the potential signs of abuse and knew who to report any concerns to. People were supported by an appropriate number of staff to keep them safe. Accidents and incidents were regularly reviewed, assessed and investigated by the registered manager.

People’s physical, mental health and social needs were assessed and provided in line with current legislation and best practice guidelines. People were supported by trained staff who had their performance regularly assessed. Staff felt supported by the registered manager. People spoke positively about the food. The risks in relation to people’s nutrition and diet had been assessed and appropriate action taken. The registered manager had built effective relationships with external health and social care organisations and people’s health was regularly monitored. The environment had been adapted to ensure people who had mental or physical disabilities were able to lead fulfilling lives. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People enjoyed living at the home and felt the staff treated them with dignity, respect and were kind and caring. Staff listened to what people had to say and they had formed positive relationships with people. Staff were knowledgeable about their needs and people were involved with making decisions about their care. People’s diverse needs were respected. People were encouraged to lead as independent a life as possible. People were provided with information about how they could access independent advocates.

People’s care records were detailed and person centred. Some records required reviewing to ensure they were reflective of people’s current health needs. People felt their personal preferences and choices were respected. People were treated equally, without discrimination and systems were in place to support people who had communication needs. People were encouraged to take part in group activities and the provider had plans in place to provide more individualised activities for people. People felt able to make a complaint and were confident it would be dealt with appropriately. End of life care was not currently provided, however, systems were in place to support people with this if they needed it.

People felt able to give their views about the service. Relatives had been asked for their views and responded positively about the home. Staff felt valued and able to give their views about the how the service could develop and improved. The registered manager was keen to develop their role and skills. They were supported by the provider in doing so. Quality assurance processes were in place to assist the registered manager with monitoring the home and the quality of the service people received.