Aldbourne nursing home provides accommodation and nursing for up to 40 older people some of who are living with dementia. The home is situated on one level with two communal lounges and dining area, with a central kitchen and laundry. There is also a conservatory where people can sit. At the time of our inspection there were 38 people living there.
The inspection took place on the 5 and 6 July 2016. The first day of the inspection was unannounced. At our last inspection of Aldbourne nursing home in May 2015 we found the provider did not meet some of the legal requirements in the areas we looked at. The provider wrote to us with a plan of what actions they would take to make the necessary improvements. We found during this inspection that the provider had undertaken all the necessary improvements required to fully meet people’s needs.
The service had a registered manager employed at the home. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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.
People were supported by very kind, caring and compassionate staff that would go the extra mile to ensure people received an excellent and personalised high standard of care. We found staff had an excellent knowledge and understanding of people’s needs, interests, likes and dislikes. We observed a range of warm and affectionate interactions during our inspection, with people using the service sharing jokes with staff and not hesitating to seek assistance where required.
People received personalised care that was responsive to their individual needs. People had access to activities that included their individual hobbies and interests. Links with the local village community had been established and people were supported to participate in events held within the local village such as fetes and other events that were meaningful to them. Time was spent on a one to one basis with people who chose not to attend group activities.
People, relatives and health and social care professionals spoke positively about staff and felt they had an excellent understanding of people’s individual needs to ensure they received personalised care from all staff. Health professionals told us that the service was committed to supporting people to remain independent or regain any independence lost. They gave examples of how people were supported to live the lives they wanted.
People were safe living at Aldbourne nursing home. There were enough staff on duty to meet people’s care and support needs safely. People received their medicines as prescribed and at the correct times. We saw that risks were managed through regular assessments and associated care plans and reviewed periodically throughout the year. Staff displayed a good understanding of how to keep people safe from potential harm or abuse.
The staff had received appropriate training and supervision to develop the skills and knowledge needed to provide people with the necessary care and support Training was comprehensive and regularly refreshed, with staff attending a range of training as well as training specific to the needs of people using the service, for example dementia awareness.
People spoke positively about the food and told us they received enough to eat and drink. Catering staff were knowledgeable about people’s likes, dislikes and dietary requirements. Action was taken by staff when they were concerned about people’s health and well-being.
There were effective pre-employment checks for the safe recruitment of staff, including criminal records checks and obtaining character references. New staff were inducted into the role with a combination of attending core training, shadowing experienced staff and completing the care certificate workbook.
We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. We found related assessments and decisions had been properly taken and the provider had followed the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).
The registered manager investigated complaints and concerns. People, their relatives and staff were supported and encouraged to share their views on the running of the home. The provider had quality monitoring systems in place. Accidents and incidents were investigated and discussed with staff to minimise the risks or reoccurrence.