Ravensworth Care Home

Updated 21 February 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 was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

Ravensworth 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

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority, responsible for commissioning and monitoring the care of people using the service. The provider had not been sent a provider information return prior to this inspection. 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. We gave the registered manager the opportunity to share this information during our inspection visit.

During the inspection

We spoke with five people who used the service and one person's relative. We also spoke with the registered manager, the operations manager, the senior supervisor, three care staff, the cook and a housekeeper. We observed care and support provided to people in communal areas and staff interactions.

We reviewed care plans and records for three people and sampled medicine records. We also reviewed three staff recruitment files and information relating to the induction, training and supervision of staff. We looked at records of internal and external safety checks of the property, audits to monitor and improve the service and the processes, policies and procedures that supported the provider, people and the staff team.

Updated 21 February 2020

About the service

Ravensworth Care Home is a residential care home providing personal care and accommodation for up to 30 older people. At the time of our inspection there were 29 people using the service, many of whom were living with dementia.

People's experience of using this service and what we found

People were happy with the support they received and felt safe living at Ravensworth. Staff knew what to do to keep people safe and were confident any concerns would be taken seriously. Risks to people's well-being and safety were assessed, recorded and kept up to date. Staff supported people to manage these risks effectively whilst supporting their independence. People received support to take their medicines safely and as prescribed. Accidents and incidents were regularly reviewed and analysed to ensure lessons were learnt.

Staff received a range of training appropriate to their role and people's needs, and were supported by the registered manager through regular supervision and evaluation of their working practices. People were encouraged and supported to eat and drink well and protected against the risk of poor nutrition. People were supported to access healthcare when needed.

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 caring and kind to the people living at the service. It was clear bonds had been formed and people told us the staff were good and listened to them. People were given choices and encouraged to maintain their independence. Staff could describe how to support people and were aware of people's routines. People were given the time and supported to communicate about their care.

People were supported to develop care plans that were specific to them and supported staff to provide personalised care. These plans were regularly reviewed with people to keep them up to date. Concerns and complaints were acted on and used to drive improvements within the service.

The leadership of the service promoted a positive culture that was person-centred and inclusive. The registered manager and the staff team showed a desire to improve on the service provided. Effective systems were in place to check the quality and safety of 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

The last rating for this service was Good (published 5 July 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 reinspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.