Updated 18 November 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.
Inspection team
The inspection team consisted of an inspector 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.
Service and service type
Athlone House Nursing Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. Athlone House Nursing Home is a care home with 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 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 looked at all the information we held about the provider, including notifications of significant events and any contact from members of the public.
During the inspection
We spoke with 6 people who used the service, 5 visiting family members and the GP. We also met and observed staff on duty. These included the registered manager, the deputy manager, nurses, care staff, the activities coordinator, administrative staff and domestic staff. We met with the regional director who visited the service during this inspection. Following this inspection, we received positive feedback from staff and a manager with the Continuing Healthcare Team (CHC).
We observed how people were cared for and supported. Our observations included the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.
We looked at care records for 6 people and other records used by the provider for managing the service. These included records of staff training, audits and quality assurance checks. We looked at medicines audits and checked how medicines were being managed. We also looked at the environment and infection prevention and control systems.