Archived: The Old Hall

Updated 21 November 2019

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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection team consisted of two inspectors.

Service and service type

The Old Hall is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We carried out this unannounced inspection on 16 October 2019.

What we did before the inspection

We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We reviewed all the information we held about the service, including data about safeguarding and statutory notifications. Statutory notifications are information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. This enabled us to ensure we were addressing potential areas of concern at our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with three people who lived at the service and five members of staff including the chef and registered manager. We reviewed a range of documents including two care plans, medicine administration records, accident and incidents records, policies and procedures and internal audits.

After the inspection

We reviewed additional information we requested from the inspection such as the service’s staff training matrix.

Updated 21 November 2019

About the service

The Old Hall is a 'care home' which provides residential care for up to 39 people with a range of needs and general frailty. Care is provided across two separate wings, each of which has separate adapted facilities.

People’s experience of using this service

People told us they felt safe at The Old Hall, and staff were aware of their responsibilities in safeguarding people from abuse. Risks to people were appropriately recorded and managed, as well as medicine administration and recording practices improving since our last inspection. There were enough staff available to meet people’s needs and safe staffing recruitment checks had been completed. Accidents and incidents were recorded and action taken to prevent reoccurrence.

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. Staff were effective in their role due to being up to date with mandatory training, supervisions. Staff followed guidance from healthcare professionals in order to achieve good outcomes for people. People and relatives were complimentary about the food at the service, and people at risk of dehydration were monitored. The service was currently undergoing a refurbishment, but staff ensured this had little impact to people.

People told us staff worked well as a team and created a kind and content atmosphere, which we also observed throughout the day. People living at the service had formed close friendships which prevented social isolation. People were involved in decisions around their day-to-day care and were encouraged to be independent as much as possible, such as administering their own medicines were safe to do so. People were treated with dignity and respect, with personal care and conversations taking place behind closed doors and people being addressed by their surnames unless they had stated otherwise.

There was a wide range of meaningful internal and external activities available which enhanced people’s wellbeing. The service had not received any complaints since our last inspection, but there was a clear complaints policy in place to advise people and relatives of the process should they wish to raise any concerns. People’s end of life wishes were recorded, in preparation for receiving such care.

People and staff felt the registered manager was approachable and had created a positive culture which fed down throughout the service. Internal quality checks allowed the service to identify and resolve any issues or improvements which were addressed in a timely manner. People, relatives and staff were engaged in the running of the service and asked for feedback regularly through meetings and questionnaires. The service was working collaboratively with a range of organisations.

For more details, please see the full report which is on CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Rating at last inspection and update

At the last inspection the service was rated Required Improvement. The inspection report was published on 24 October 2018. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

This was a scheduled comprehensive inspection based on the service’s last rating.

Follow up

We will follow up on recommendations made and any improvements required at our next inspection.