Albert House Nursing Home

Updated 30 March 2021

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.

As part of CQC’s response to the coronavirus pandemic we are looking at the preparedness of care homes in relation to infection prevention and control. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 16 March 2021 and was announced.

Updated 30 March 2021

This inspection took place on 19 June 2017 and was unannounced. Albert House is registered to provide nursing and personal care and accommodation for up to 38 people. On the day of our inspection there were 35 people living at the service.

There was a registered manager in post at the time of our inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the home. 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 home is run.

Medicines were in the main managed safely. However, PRN (as required) protocols were not in place. PRN protocols provide information for staff on when and why people might require additional medicines and should also include information for staff on how to recognise when people might need them.

People’s rights were upheld under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. However the computer software led to some conflicting recording which the provider rectified following the inspection.

The provider had met their responsibilities with regard to the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). DoLS is a framework to approve the deprivation of liberty for a person when they lack the mental capacity to consent to treatment or care and need protecting from harm. People can only be deprived of their liberty so that they can receive care and treatment when this is in their best interests and legally authorised under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).

There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff employed at the service. The provider's recruitment process ensured that only staff deemed suitable to work at the home were employed. Staff did not commence working in the home until all pre-employment checks had been satisfactorily completed.

Environmental checks had been undertaken regularly to help ensure the premises were safe.

People were supported to maintain good health as staff had the knowledge and skills to support them. There was prompt access to external healthcare professionals when needed.

Staff supported people in a respectful, kind and caring way and involved them as much as possible in day to day choices and arrangements. Enabling relationships had been established between staff and the people they supported. We observed that people's privacy and dignity was respected at all times.

People undertook activities personal to them and were supported in what they wanted to do. They maintained contact with their family and were therefore not isolated from those people closest to them.

Staff felt well supported and said that they would not hesitate to speak to the manager if they needed to. The registered manager encouraged an open line of communication with their team.

The provider had systems and processes for identifying and assessing risks to the health, safety and welfare of people who use the service.