Background to this inspection
Updated
8 March 2024
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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.
As part of this inspection, we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.
Inspection team
This inspection was carried out by 1 inspector.
Service and service type
Amber House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Amber House is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
Registered Manager
This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.
At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.
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 and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
During this inspection we spoke to 4 people living in Amber House, 2 relatives and observed care and support given in the communal areas of the home. We spoke with 3 staff which included the Registered Manager. We reviewed a wide range of records such as care plans, medicine administration records, staff records, quality assurance documents and policies and procedures. After the inspection we received further information from the provider regarding the governance of the service.
Updated
8 March 2024
About the service
Amber House is a residential care home that provides accommodation and personal care to a maximum of 18 people. The service provides support to older people, some of whom live with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 13 people using the service.
Amber House comprises of 2 houses that have been adapted to create 1 home over 2 floors. Amber House has a shared garden, communal dining room, activity room and lounge area, with a shared wet-room and bathroom facilities. The home provides single and shared bedrooms some of which have en-suite bathrooms. There is a lift and stair lift in the home to support access to the first floor.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The processes in the home to keep people safe had improved since the last inspection but we found some improvements were still needed to ensure the governance systems in the home were effective in monitoring the quality of service.
Risks to people’s safety were being considered through more regular review. For example, there was now a more robust accidents and incidents process being followed by the staff in the home, to reduce the risk of future occurrence and support improving care delivery.
People’s care plans had been reviewed and updated with more detailed information which meant staff now had access to accurate records to ensure care delivered, met actual need.
Staffing numbers had increased in the home, which meant people’s needs were being responded to in a timely way, which promoted their health and well-being.
Mental Capacity Assessments were now decision specific which meant people were supported to have more choice and control of their lives, staff supported people in their best interests and the policies and procedures in the home supported this.
The provider had acted on our recommendations and made changes in medicine storage and record keeping to support safer medicine management.
Staff training was now up to date and staff were receiving regular supervision.
Feedback from people living in Amber House and their relatives was positive about the staff and the registered manager.
The provider continued to work with other agencies in driving improvements in the home.
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 requires improvement (published 30 September 2023) and there were breaches of regulation.
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 provider was no longer in breach of regulations.
This service has been in Special Measures since 21 August 2023. During this inspection the provider demonstrated that improvements have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures.
Why we inspected
We carried out an unannounced inspection of the service on 27 June 2023 where breaches of legal requirements were found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve; person centred care, need for consent, safe care and treatment and good governance.
We undertook this focused inspection to check the provider had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions Safe, Effective and Well-Led.
For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has changed from Requires Improvement to Good.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Amber House on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.