Tendring Care Homes Ltd

We found the following areas of good practice:

¿ The provider had set up a wash basin in the porch to enable full hand washing before entering the home.

¿ A purpose built visiting pod was used to enable safe visiting from family and friends. This had been adapted with a door in the internal clear dividing screen to permit face to face visits under the new Government guidance starting 8 March 2021.

¿ The home had a supply of face masks with clear plastic panels to support people who had difficulty hearing.

¿ The registered manager carried out competency and spot checks on staff regarding their use of PPE, to ensure they continued to use it safely and appropriately.

¿ People using the service were tested for COVID-19 every 14 days, this was more often than the Government guidance of every 28 days.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

People were protected from the risks of abuse because staff understood how to report any potential concerns. There were sufficient numbers of safely recruited staff available to meet people’s needs and staff knew people well and understood the risks they faced and how to manage these. Accidents and incidents were reported, recorded and learning shared with staff. People received their medication safely and these were recorded accurately.

People were involved in pre-admission assessments which identified their physical, religious, emotional and mental health needs to ensure that these could be effectively met. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People had a choice of meals and drinks and spoke positively about the food. Staff received regular support through supervision and had access to relevant training opportunities to provide them with the correct skills and knowledge for their role.

People were supported by staff who were kind and compassionate in their approach. We observed the use of gentle, tactile contact and staff communicating with people in ways which were meaningful for them. People were offered choices about how they spent their time and were supported with respect by staff who protected people’s dignity and promoted their independence. Visitors were welcomed whenever they wished to visit and were encouraged to feedback through meetings, surveys and informal discussions.

People’s care records showed that their support was reviewed regularly and was responsive to changing needs. People were supported by staff to engage in a range of social opportunities which they enjoyed. People and relatives were aware about how to raise concerns if needed and felt that these would be listened and responded to. Any advance medical decisions were recorded and the manager explained that where people received end of life care, their preferences and wishes were discussed and recorded.

Feedback from people, relatives and staff was that Tendring Care Home was well managed. Quality assurance measures were used to identify any gaps or trends to continually improve the service people received. Staff felt supported in their roles.

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

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

The previous inspection took place in 2014 when we found the service was meeting all assessed standards.

Tendring Rest Home is registered to provide care and support for up to 23 people. It is not registered for nursing care.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.

At this inspection we found the service was supporting people safely, effectively and with care.

Staff knew people well and were kind and caring. Visitors were welcomed. Staff respected people's preferred routines and activities provided were geared towards people's needs and interests.

People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Risk to people's health and welfare were managed appropriately. Environmental risks were regularly considered and managed well.

There were generally sufficient numbers of suitably trained and safely recruited staff to meet peoples' needs. Staff said there were occasions, particularly in the mornings when they could not respond to people's wishes as quickly as they would want, but this did not have an impact upon people's safety.

Staff received appropriate training and support. The service liaised well with health care professionals when they needed support and guidance about people's health care needs.

People liked the food and were supported to have a diet which suited their needs and preferences.

Staff ensured they sought consent before supporting people with their care and adhered to the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

People were given information about what the service could provide and staff were able to provide appropriate support because people's needs were clearly assessed and updated when a change had taken place.

People were encouraged to provide feedback about the quality of the service and complaints were responded to quickly.

There was a registered manager in post. Quality assurance processes helped to ensure the service maintained good standards which met people's needs and expectations

We saw that people had an individual plan of care that included their needs and personal preferences and detailed people's physical and emotional healthcare requirements. Care plans were kept under regular review and risks to people's safety were assessed. Plans to reduce and monitor risks to both people using the service and others were recorded.

We found there to be a caring and experienced staff team who were well supported and trained to carry out their duties safely and effectively.

Staff received training in infection control and those we spoke with were aware of relevant policies and procedures. We observed staff going about their duties in a manner mindful of infection control protocols.

There was an appropriate system in place for the monitoring and recording of complaints. Although there had been no complaints during the past twelve months, we saw previous records that demonstrated to us such matters had been dealt with appropriately and in a timely manner.

People we spoke with told us they, "could not speak highly enough of the place, the staff are so kind and the people here are certainly well looked after".

People told us that they felt safe in the home, felt respected and were able to talk to staff if they had concerns. One person said that they felt "100% safe" and that they did not want to go anywhere else. They also told us that the manager was "very good and sorted things out straightaway."

People told us that they felt involved in the decision making of the home and attended residents and family meetings. We saw that there were regular activities in the home.

There were sufficient numbers of staff with appropriate skills and experience to meet the needs of people using the service.

Systems were in place to obtain feedback on the service, to monitor the quality of service and to respond where improvements were needed.