Archived: SONACare

Updated 1 July 2023

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.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by two inspectors.

Service and service type

SONACare 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. SONACare 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

We reviewed information we had received about the service. This included information we had received from the public and notifications sent to us by the provider. We sought feedback from the local authority. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our 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.

During the inspection

We spoke with 5 people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 7 members of staff including the provider, who was also the nominated individual. The registered manager and 5 care workers. We reviewed risk assessments and care plans and care records for 3 people. We also reviewed 2 staff recruitment records and a variety of records relating to the running of the service. We also spoke with 1 relative and received written feedback from a health professional.

The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

Updated 1 July 2023

About the service

SONACare is a residential care home providing personal care to up to 15 older people in a two-storey adapted building. At the time of our inspection there were 9 people using the service.

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

Risk was not consistently managed. We identified improvements were required to help ensure fire safety and risks associated with mobility and a specific health event were managed. Some areas of the home required deep cleaning to minimise the risk and spread of infection.

Audits were completed to help drive improvement and celebrate success. Audits had not identified the concerns we noted on inspection. We have made a recommendation about the effectiveness of audits.

People told us they were happy living at the home. One person commented, “They look after me.” The provider was making improvements to the internal decoration at the home and medicines were managed safely.

Staff were recruited following checks being carried out safely and were deployed in a way to help ensure people’s needs were met. People, a relative and staff, we spoke with raised no concerns with the staffing arrangements at the home.

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 were supported and encouraged to give feedback on their experiences of living at the home, regular meetings were held with people to gain their views and the provider visited the home to help maintain oversight of the service.

Staff told us the registered manager was open and honest with them. Staff told us they felt engaged and supported.

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 (15 December 2021).

Why we inspected

We undertook a targeted inspection to follow up on specific concerns which we had received about the service. The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about skin care and nutritional management, moving and handling practice and risk management. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.

We inspected and found there was a concern with fire safety, so we widened the scope of the inspection to become a focused inspection which included the key questions of safe and well-led.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has changed from good to requires improvement based on the findings of this inspection.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the safe 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.

Enforcement and Recommendations

We have identified 1 breach in relation to risk management. We found risks were not consistently managed.

Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Follow up

We will request an action plan from 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 continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.