We carried out a review of the data available to us about The Dell on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about The Dell, you can give feedback on this service.
The Dell is a care home providing accommodation for up to 40 older people, including people living with dementia. At the time of the inspection there were 33 people living at the home. The Dell also had eight rooms which provided short-term, intermediate care placements for people discharged from hospital but not yet ready to return home.
People's experience of using this service and what we found
People told us they felt safe and were happy living at The Dell. One person said, “This is my home and I am very lucky to have great people caring for me.” We observed a kind and caring culture. We observed positive interactions between people and staff throughout the inspection.
People and their relatives told us there were enough staff. Our observations confirmed the service had enough staff to meet people's needs. During the inspection we observed people supported in a timely manner and staff did not look rushed. Staff told us there were enough staff to meet people's needs.
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.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the provider had ensured that appropriate infection control procedures were in place to keep people safe. This included increased cleaning and ensuring adequate supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) were available.
People's care plans were personalised and gave staff the information they needed to support people. We saw people were supported with their communication needs and their preferred activities in accordance with their care plans.
The new provider and registered manager had worked hard to develop strong leadership. Quality monitoring systems had been embedded and morale was good amongst the staff team. We spoke at length with the management of the service about their ongoing plans for The Dell.
We have made a recommendation about introducing audits at provider level to provide greater oversight.
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 the service under the previous provider was good, published on 25 March 2019.
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.
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. This included checking the provider was meeting COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our reinspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
We found the following examples of good practice.
The service was clean throughout, and there were procedures to ensure any infection control risks were minimised. Additional cleaning schedules had been introduced since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Areas that were frequently touched, such as door handles and light switches, were cleaned several times a day. Hand sanitiser was readily available on the premises.
The service arranged appointments for visitors to reduce risk. There was a designated area for visitors to meet with people. It was designed to reduce the amount of footfall through the service. People were supported to maintain relationships and contact with others through electronic devices.
Staff had access to supplies of PPE and had received training to ensure they used this correctly. All staff and people living at the service had regular testing for Covid-19, and all had received their vaccinations. Where people were unable to make their own decisions, capacity assessments had been carried out and decisions made in their best interests. Information about decisions, testing and vaccinations was clearly recorded to provide assurance and overview.
The registered manager was visible and supportive to staff. The registered manager sought support and advice from external agencies including the local health protection team and CQC and was open to all advice and guidance offered.
Further information is in the detailed findings below.