We carried out a review of the data available to us about Abbotsford Residential Care Home. 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 Abbotsford Residential Care Home., you can give feedback on this service.
People's experience of using this service and what we found
The home had a warm and welcoming atmosphere. On the day of the inspection we observed positive interactions between people and staff. Staff engaged with people in a meaningful way. People and relatives praised the friendly atmosphere in the home and described staff as kind, caring and respectful.
People told us they felt safe living in the home. People were protected from the risk of avoidable harm. The service had systems and processes in place for safeguarding people and managing incidents and accidents.
Medicines were managed safely, and people received their medicines as prescribed.
The home was clean, and staff followed appropriate infection prevention and control practices to minimise the spread of infections.
There were enough staff to assist people. People's needs were assessed to make sure their care could be provided by this service.
People were supported to eat and drink and to maintain a healthy diet. Menus were planned to include people's food preferences. People were supported to access appropriate healthcare services.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff assisted them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service upheld this practice.
People were supported by staff who knew people's personal and individual needs well. People received individualised support that matched their personal preferences. There was a range of activities in the home to support people's social inclusion.
The home had good working relationships with local health and social care agencies to support the needs and well-being of the people who live there.
The registered manager had good oversight of the home and an open culture was evident. Staff spoke positively about the registered manager and told us that she was caring, approachable and supportive.
Monitoring and auditing systems were in place to check the quality and safety of people's care. These were robust and were consistently carried out. The registered manager sought feedback from people and relatives and made improvements where necessary.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 3 March 2021 and this is the first inspection. Prior to this, the service was owned by a different provider.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection.
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.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.
We found the following examples of good practice.
The service followed current government visiting guidance. They ensured that safe visiting arrangements were in place. Visiting procedures included ensuring visitors had a confirmed negative lateral flow test. All visitors to the home were screened and risked assessed. They received a temperature check and had to answer a number of questions including whether they had any symptoms of Covid19 or had been in contact with anyone who had the infection. This risk assessment helped ensure that people and staff were protected. Visitors also wore appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
Staff also took a lateral flow test every day before commencing work.
Staff had received training about Covid19, infection control, hand washing and in the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Staff also received infection control competency checks. This has helped assure the provider that people were protected and safe as staff had a good understanding of infection prevention and control.
The care home had supported people to keep in contact with family and friends. This contact had included socially distanced visits and via phone and video calls.
There was an up to date infection control policy in place and there were standard operating procedures that were regularly updated in line with changes in government policy.
Regular audits of infection prevention and control (IPC) practice were carried out to assure the provider that people were protected and safe.
The home had ensured that they always had a suitable supply of PPE including face masks, disposable gloves and aprons. The care home had numerous PPE stations around the premises. These stations ensured that PPE was readily available to staff throughout the home.
The service had also worked effectively with local agencies in ensuring there were sufficient supplies.
The provider ensured they kept up to date with all relevant guidance to do with the pandemic. They ensured that updates were promptly communicated to staff, people and relatives. This and regular communication with the host local authority, public health teams, community healthcare professionals and managers from other care homes helped to ensure the home carried out good IPC practice that kept people safe.
Any staff or person who had tested positive, were isolated in line with government guidance. This minimised the risk of spread of infection in the home and people and staff becoming unwell.
To reduce the risk of infection transmission, there were enhanced cleaning schedules were in place. These included regular cleaning of frequently touched areas such as handrails, light switches and door handles.
Further information is in the detailed findings below.