Archived: Chiltern Retirement Home

Updated 3 August 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 23 June 2016 and was unannounced. The inspection was undertaken by one inspector.

Whilst planning the inspection we looked at the information we held about the service and the information contained within the Provider Information Return (PIR). The PIR is an opportunity for the provider to give us some key information about the service and their plans for the future.

We spoke with five people and three relatives. We also spoke with three members of staff, a visiting healthcare professional, the registered manager and the provider. We spent time observing care in the communal areas of the home to see how staff interacted and supported people who used the service.

We looked at the care plans for people to see if they accurately reflected the care provided to them. We also looked at three recruitment files and records relating to the management and maintenance of the home.

Updated 3 August 2016

This inspection took place on 23 June 2016. At our last inspection on 29 April 2013 the provider was meeting the standards we inspected. Chiltern Retirement Home provides accommodation and personal care for up to 21 older people. There were 20 people using the service at the time of our inspection.

There was a registered manager in post. 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.

There was an audit programme in place but the information gained was not used to identify where trends and patterns were highlighted. People and their families were given opportunities to share their opinions and views on the service which was provided.

Staff understood how to recognise and keep people safe from harm, poor care practices and abuse and the action they should take to ensure people were protected. People’s risks associated with their care and health were identified, assessed and managed to reduce these. People and their relatives were happy with the number of staff available to meet their needs. There were suitable processes in place to recruit staff and maintain the environment.

Staff understood the needs of the people they cared for and had the skills to provide care which met their requirements. Some people were unable to make certain decisions about their care for themselves. Staff understood the need to gain people’s consent and the legal requirements in place to protect the people who were unable to do so for themselves.

People were provided with a choice of food and drinks which met their individual needs. People’s health and wellbeing was monitored and the support of healthcare professionals was sought and followed whenever necessary.

Staff knew people well and provided polite, kind and considerate care. People were supported to maintain their dignity and staff recognised the importance of promoting people’s independence. People were supported to maintain the relationships which were important to them as relatives and friends could visit when they wanted to.

Staff gained information about people so that they could provide care which met their preferences. People were offered opportunities to socialise together or spend time pursuing their own interests to prevent them from becoming socially isolated. Staff listened to people’s concerns and there was a complaints policy in place if people wanted to escalate concerns on a more formal basis.