The Stables Residential Care Home

We found the following examples of good practice.

¿ People were supported to maintain contact with people who were important to them. This included making video and telephone calls. Staff spoke with some people's family members daily to keep them up to date on their relative's wellbeing.

¿ People were supported to maintain contact with their chosen faith groups in a variety of ways such as, listening to recordings of religious services. This had a positive impact on people’s wellbeing during the pandemic.

¿ People were able to see and talk to their relatives safely by using a Perspex screen during some visits to maintain social distancing.

¿ Staffing levels had been increased to make sure people’s emotional and social needs were met.

¿ A confidential helpline was available for staff to seek advice and support. The hours staff worked and the duties they performed had also been reviewed which made staff feel supported.

¿ Cleaning schedules had been increased to monitor cleanliness and staff compliance with the provider’s infection control policy. Specialist cleaning equipment was used to ensure areas that were difficult to clean had been sanitised.

The Stables is a care home, which provides personal care and accommodation for up to seven people. The service offers care and support to older people. Some people are living with dementia, or acquired brain injury, or a diagnosed mental health condition. The home has two floors, with a communal lounge and conservatory. The kitchen is accessible to people to use as a dining area. People had their own en-suite bedrooms. At the time of our inspection there were seven people living at The Stables.

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

People told us they were very happy living at The Stables and described the home as having a family feel to it. People told us they had enough activities to do. Staff demonstrated a kind, caring and personalised approach toward people and gave support when needed.

Risks had been identified and were well managed by staff who knew people well. Risk management plans gave staff information they needed to reduce risks of harm or injury to people.

Staff were trained and offered opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge. Staff ensured equipment, such as pressure relieving beds, were used in a safe way so people received the desired benefits.

People had their prescribed medicines available to them and were supported with these by trained staff. Records showed people received their medicines when needed.

People had choices about drinks and what they ate for their main meals and their nutritional needs were met.

The home was well-maintained and good cleanliness reduced risks of cross infection.

Staff understood the importance of giving people choices. 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.

People’s needs were assessed, and information was used to form personalised plans of care.

There were enough staff on shift to meet people’s needs. Staff were recruited in a safe way.

There were systems in place for people and relatives to give their feedback on the service. People received a copy of the provider’s complaints policy when they moved to live at the home.

There were processes to audit the quality and safety of the service and where these identified the need for improvements, these were quickly acted on.

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

Rating at the last inspection

The last rating for this service was Good (published 17 July 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the rating of the last inspection.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.

The Stables Residential Care Home provides care for up to seven older people and on the day of our inspection there were seven people living there.

At the last inspection, the service was rated good. At this inspection we found the service remained good.

There was a registered manager 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 and relatives were complimentary and satisfied with the quality of care they received. People received care that enabled them to live their lives as they wanted and were able to make choices about keeping their independence. People were encouraged to make their own decisions about the care they received and care was given in line with their expressed wishes. People were supported to maintain relationships with people who were important to them.

Care plans contained accurate and detailed relevant information for staff to help them provide the individual care people required. People and relatives were involved in making care decisions and reviewing their care to ensure it continued to meet their needs.

For people assessed as being at risk, care records included information for staff so risks to people’s health and welfare were minimised. Staff had a good knowledge of people’s needs and abilities which meant they provided safe and effective care. Staff received essential training to meet people’s individual needs, and effectively used their skills, knowledge and experience to support people and develop trusting relationships.

People’s care and support was provided by a caring staff team and there were enough trained and experienced staff to be responsive to meet their needs. People told us they felt safe living at The Stables and relatives supported this. Staff knew how to keep people safe from the risk of abuse. Staff and the registered manager understood what actions they needed to take if they had any concerns for people's wellbeing or safety.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.

People received a choice of meals and drinks that met their individual dietary requirements at times they wanted them. People received support from staff when they required it, and anyone at risk of malnutrition or dehydration, were monitored and if concerns were identified, advice was sought and followed.

People and relatives knew how to voice their complaints and felt confident to do so.

People’s feedback was sought by completing surveys, as was that of relatives and staff. The registered manager had an ‘open door’ policy for people, relatives, staff and visitors to the home. People and relatives also had access to an independent advocacy service, paid for by the provider.

The management team ensured through regular checks that this remained the case. The registered manager acknowledged these checks needed to be more clearly recorded, and assured us they would do so.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

During our visit we met all the people who live at The Stables and spoke with three individuals and one visitor about their individual experiences of care.

We spoke with the provider, who is also the registered manager, and three members of care staff.

People told us they were happy living in the home. One person commented, "They (the staff team) look after me well. The food is excellent, I am so comfortable here."

We saw that care staff knew people at the home well and spoke with them in a friendly, respectful way. We saw that care staff were sensitive to people's needs and offered them support when assistance was requested or indicated. One person commented, "They (the staff) can't do enough for you. This is such a happy home, I couldn't wish for better."

During a tour of the home, we noted that all areas of the home were clean and tidy and the environment was pleasant for both staff and people using the service.

Care staff were positive about working in the home. We were told there were regular training sessions to enable staff to develop their skills and knowledge and provide effective care for people who lived at the home.

The people we spoke with were complimentary about the staff and appeared comfortable and relaxed in the environment of the home. People told us; 'I am very happy here. I can't tell you how lucky I was to find such a lovely home.' and "The owner/manager really cares about how we are, the staff are second to none."

We talked with staff who demonstrated they were aware of people's care and support needs. Staff said they were trained to help them understand how to meet people's needs and give the support people needed.

We found that staff were knowledgeable about people's interests and preferences. We saw that people led active lifestyles with the support they needed and took part in a range of social and educational opportunities.

Staff spoken with were very motivated, caring and positive about working in the home and praised the teamwork and supportive atmosphere.