Updated 11 May 2022
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
The inspection was carried out by one inspector 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
Abafields Residential Home is a ‘care home.’ People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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. At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post. The home manager was in the process of applying to become registered.
Notice of inspection
We gave a short period notice of the inspection due to the COVID -19 pandemic to ensure we had prior information to promote safety. Inspection activity started on 12 April 2022 and finished on 21 April 2022, at which point we had received all the additional information and clarification we had requested from the provider. We visited Abafields Residential Home on 13 April 2022.
What we did before the inspection
Prior to the inspection we reviewed information and evidence we already held about the home, which had been collected via our ongoing monitoring of care services. This included notifications sent to us by the home. Notifications are changes, events or incidents that the provider is legally obliged to send to us without delay. We also asked for 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. 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. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with seven people and one relative about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with a visiting professional and seven staff members, including the home manager, deputy manager, senior carers and carers. We observed staff providing care, to help us understand the experience of people who used the service.
We reviewed a range of records, this included four people’s care plans and daily records. We reviewed five people's medication records and looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies, procedures and audit documents were also reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at rotas, dependency tool data and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguard matrices.