13 January 2022
During an inspection looking at part of the service
We found the following examples of good practice.
The home was clean, well maintained and odour free. Cleaning schedules and audits were in place. Any high touch points within the home were also regularly sanitised, to help minimise the spread of infection.
Staff were trained and competent in infection prevention and control best practices and how to don and doff PPE. The home had adequate supplies of appropriate PPE and hand gel was made available throughout the home for staff and visitors.
The home had close links with external health professionals to enable people to receive the care and intervention they needed.
People and staff were tested regularly for COVID-19, in line with government guidance. All staff employed at the home had been vaccinated, to help keep people safe from the risk of infection. Infection control policies and audits helped ensure that the home adopted best practice which complied with current guidance.
The home supported people to maintain contact with those who were important to them. The registered manager told us this was essential for people's emotional and mental well-being. People were also supported to access the community, individual risk assessments helped ensure this was done in a safe manner.
A visiting pod was available to facilitate face to face visits, for any visitors who preferred not to conduct their visit within the home.
We spoke to three people’s essential care givers who told us during a recent outbreak of COVID-19, the home supported alternatives to in-person visitation, such as virtual visits. We have signposted the provider to resources to develop their approach.