Victoria Care Centre

Updated 28 August 2020

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place. As part of CQC’s response to the coronavirus pandemic we are conducting a thematic review of infection control and prevention measures in care homes.

This inspection took place on 11 August 2020 and was announced. The service was selected to take part in this thematic review which is seeking to identify examples of good practice in infection prevention and control.

Updated 28 August 2020

The comprehensive inspection of Victoria Care Centre took place on 22 and 31 May 2018. The first day of the inspection was unannounced.

Victoria Care Centre is a ‘care home.’ It provides nursing care and accommodation for a maximum of 115 people. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Victoria Care Centre accommodates 115 people in one purpose built building. During our visit there were no vacancies. People using the service had a range of needs, most were older people, some of whom were living with dementia. A service was also provided to younger adults and others who had varied needs including physical disabilities and/or mental health needs.

People’s bedrooms were in units located on the four floors of the premises. There is a passenger lift that provides access to each floor. People have access to safe outdoor space and the home is located close to shops and public transport.

At the last comprehensive inspection of 12 and 13 May 2016 we rated the service good overall. The service was rated requires improvement in the area of safe as a breach of legal requirements was found due to the way people’s medicines were managed by the service. At our focused inspection on the 24 November 2016, we found that the provider had taken action to address our concerns and met legal requirements that people’s medicines were managed and administered safely by the service.

The service has a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Staff engaged with people in a respectful and positive manner. They had a good understanding of each person’s needs and knew how to provide them with the care and support that they required and wanted. People and their families were involved in decisions about people’s care.

People's care plans were up to date and included information staff required for providing people with personalised care and support. People’s healthcare needs were assessed and monitored closely. The service worked with healthcare and social care professionals to ensure people’s needs were met.

Arrangements were in place to keep people safe. Staff knew how to identify abuse and understood the safeguarding procedures they needed to follow to protect people from harm.

Risks to people's health and well-being were identified, assessed and managed as part of their plan of care and support. Staff understood their responsibilities to deliver safe care and to report to the nursing staff or management any concerns to do with people’s safety including any poor practice from staff.

Arrangements were in place to ensure that medicines were managed safely and people received the medicines that they were prescribed.

People using the service were supported to take part in a range of preferred and meaningful activities. The service had plans to develop and improve the range and number of activities available to people.

People’s nutritional needs and preferences were met by the service. People chose what they wanted to eat and a range of snacks and drinks were available at any time.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People’s privacy was respected. Staff understood the importance of treating people with dignity and respecting their differences and human rights.

Staffing levels and skill mix were flexible to ensure that people were provided with the assistance and care that they needed at all times. Recruitment procedures included a range of checks that were carried out to minimise the risk of unsuitable staff being employed to provide people’s care.

Staff received an induction and the training, learning and support that they needed to develop their skills and to carry out their roles and responsibilities.

People, their relatives and staff had opportunities to provide feedback about the service, which the service used to drive improvement.

There were systems in place to assess, monitor and improve the quality of the services provided for people. The provider had a process for dealing with complaints.

The service worked in partnership with a range of healthcare, social care and educational agencies to develop and improve the service for people.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.