Background to this inspection
Updated
8 February 2024
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
This inspection was carried out by 1 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
The Meadow 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. The Meadow 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
The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used the information we held about the service to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with 7 people and 7 relatives. We spoke with 9 staff including the registered manager, the area manager, the human resources manager, 2 senior staff and 2 care workers, the activities coordinator, and the maintenance person. We also spoke with the Chaplin as they were visiting people on the day of our inspection.
We observed activities and people having their lunch. We reviewed a range of records including 4 care plans and risk assessments. We also checked medicine records for 3 people, staff files and management records such as service audits, policies, maintenance records and meeting minutes.
Updated
8 February 2024
About the service
The Meadow is a residential care home providing personal care to up to 40 people. The service provides support to older adults, most of whom are living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 39 people using the service. The home accommodates 40 people in one adapted building.
People’s experience of the service and what we found:
The service was very responsive to people's needs. People were at the heart of everything they did. The service provided people with an range of stimulating activities covering both physical and mental health. The staff team were very passionate about providing quality care.
There was an emphasis on people's wellbeing. People's end of life wishes was respected by a very well-trained compassionate team. The provider had a clear complaints process in place. Everyone we spoke with knew how to make a complaint. People’s care plans were recorded in a personalised way, peoples likes and preferences were recorded.
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 and relatives told us they felt safe living at the home. Staff were recruited safely. People's medicines were managed safely, by well trained and competent staff. The home was clean and had a nice warm and friendly atmosphere. Staff understood their responsibilities under safeguarding and how to prevent abuse.
The leadership team and staff strived for high standards of care. Staff provided quality care. The service promoted an open culture, which was inclusive and empowering. Everyone we spoke with told us the management team were approachable and got things done. Robust governance systems and processes were in place to ensure all aspects of care delivery was monitored and checked for quality, driving forward improvements. The provider had several examples of working in partnership with other key organisations, setting up key projects and offering good training for staff about end-of-life care.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published 6 October 2017).
Why we inspected
We undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe, responsive, and well-led only. For those key question not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.
Follow Up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.