Country Court

Updated 22 March 2023

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.

Inspection team

The inspection was completed by 2 inspectors. An Expert by Experience also made phone calls to relatives the following day. 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

Country Court 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. Country Court 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

We spoke with 6 people who used the service and 8 relatives to ask about their experience of care provided. We also spoke with the registered manager, the deputy manager, the nominated individual and 7 members of staff. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

We reviewed a range of records. This included 4 people’s care records and a range of medicine records. We looked at 2 staff files in relation to recruitment and supervision. We reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service. We also received information from 1 professional who visited the service.

Updated 22 March 2023

About the service

Country Court is a residential care home providing personal care to up to 34 older people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 25 people using the service.

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

Systems were in place to record, store and receive medicines. However, information to support staff to safely administer medicines was not always available. Staff were trained and supported in their role to administer medicines.

Family and friends were not always involved or kept up to date with the running of the home. We have made a recommendation the provider engages with family and friends and acts on feedback given.

People told us they were safe. Staff had an awareness of safeguarding and knew what to do to make sure people were protected. Risk assessments were person centred and contained enough information to guide staff in their practice.

There was enough competent staff across the service to meet people’s needs. Recruitment processes were robust and appropriate recruitment checks were carried out. A relative said, “Quite a few staff have joined the home, it seems much better.”

Infection, prevention and control was managed well. Some areas of the home required decorating; however, the provider had an action plan in place outlining timescales for further re-furbishment and minor repairs.

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 registered manager and staff created a positive culture, that was person centred and empowering. Staff spoke positively about the registered manager and the nominated individual.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 7 July 2021). 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.

We also recommended the provider strengthens their quality assurance and documentation systems. At this inspection we found improvements had been made.

Why we inspected

We carried out an unannounced inspection of this service on 18 May 2021. A breach of legal requirement was found. We undertook this focused inspection to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions safe and well-led which contain those requirements.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

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. This is based on the findings of the inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Country Court on our website at www.cqc.org.uk

Recommendations

We have made a recommendation about the safe management of medicines.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.