Background to this inspection
Updated
9 April 2020
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. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection team consisted of one inspector, a specialist professional advisor (nurse) and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.
Service and service type
Melbury Court 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 did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. A manager was in the process of completing their application to become a registered manager. This means the provider is legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We contacted professionals in local authority commissioning teams and safeguarding teams. We used all of this information to plan our inspection. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
During the inspection
We spoke with seven people who lived at the service and five relatives. We spoke with 12 staff, including the manager, deputy manager, regional manager, two nurses, two seniors, wellbeing co-ordinator, chef and three staff members.
We reviewed four people's care records as well as other records relating to the running of the service, such as medicine records, complaints and training records. We spoke with four visiting healthcare professionals.
Updated
9 April 2020
About the service
Melbury Court is a care home providing both nursing and personal care to people. The service accommodates up to 87 people with a range of needs including some living with a dementia. At the time of inspection 83 people were living at the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The service was homely, well-decorated and clean. People lived in a safe environment. Health and safety checks were regularly conducted. Individual and environmental risks had been identified and mitigated. Staff had received fire awareness training and people had personal emergency evacuation plans to support staff in the event of an emergency.
The provider had an extensive range of quality assurance systems to monitor the quality and safety of the service. The provider also had systems which assisted them to learn from a range of information, including accidents and incidents, falls and safeguarding incidents. They analysed the information for trends to enable them to reduce future occurrences. Clinical data was also reviewed enabling the service to proactively support people to have positive outcomes.
People were supported by suitably trained and skilled staff. The service supported staff with regular supervisions and appraisals.
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.
The premises had been adapted to meet people’s needs. Signage was available to support people living with a dementia to navigate the building independently.
People and relatives told us they were happy with the standard of care provided. They told us staff were kind and caring. Staff knew people well and were knowledgeable about their backgrounds and care and support needs.
People were offered a range of activities. The provider had an effective complaints process. People and relatives were confident concerns raised would be dealt with appropriately.
The service had established partnerships with healthcare professionals to ensure people received joined up care. Healthcare professionals told us the service was responsive to people’s care needs.
The manager had a strong oversight of the whole service. The service had a robust management team, all were driven to ensure people received good care. The manager had a positive influence on the service, staff told us they now felt listened to.
People, relatives and staff were regularly asked to provide feedback about the service.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and update
The last rating for this service was good (published 6 September 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.