Background to this inspection
Updated
6 August 2019
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 Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection was conducted by an 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
Sweetcroft Residential Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
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. This included the last inspection report and notifications received from the provider. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service.
During the inspection
We spoke with six people who used the service and six relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with six members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager, senior care workers, care workers and the chef. We also spoke with a visiting healthcare professional. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.
We reviewed a range of records. This included five people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at five staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
Updated
6 August 2019
About the service
Sweetcroft Residential Home is a residential home providing personal care for up to 20 older people often living with the experience of dementia. At the time of the inspection 18 people were using the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People’s needs were assessed prior to moving to the home. However, one file we viewed did not have a care plan and reviews were not being undertaken in a timely manner. Additionally, end of life wishes were not consistently recorded.
Supervisions, appraisals and competency testing were not carried out consistently, which meant staff may not have been getting the support they required to undertake their job effectively and safely.
Activity provision was not person centred, therefore people’s individual interests were not always met.
The provider had systems in place to monitor, manage and improve service delivery and to improve the care and support provided to people but these were not always effective and did not identify issues raised at the inspection.
The provider had systems in place to safeguard people from the risk of abuse and staff knew how to respond to possible safeguarding concerns. There were also systems in place to identify and manage risks. Safe recruitment procedures were in place and there were enough staff to meet people’s needs. Medicines were managed and administered safely.
People were supported to maintain healthier lives and access healthcare services appropriately. 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.
Staff were kind and respectful of people’s wishes and preferences and provided support in a respectful manner.
There was a complaints procedure in place and the provider knew how to respond to complaints appropriately.
People using the service and staff reported the registered manager was approachable and promoted an open work environment.
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 requires improvement (published 15 June 2019) and there were multiple breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection enough improvement had not been made and the provider was still in breach of two out of three regulations identified at the April 2018 inspection. The service remains rated requires improvement.
Why we inspected
This inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.
We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the effective, responsive and well led sections of this full report.
You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.
Follow up
We will request an action plan for the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.