Background to this inspection
Updated
7 May 2021
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.
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 team comprised of one inspector and a member of the CQC medicine team.
Service and service type
London Road Neurological & Specialist Care Unit is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a 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
The inspection was announced. We gave the service a short notice period of the inspection. We telephoned to announce the inspection on the afternoon prior to the site visit. This was to help the service and us manage the risks associated with COVID-19.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and health commissioners who work with the service. 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 used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with the registered manager and a nurse when we visited the service. We spoke with three family members whose relatives used the service and two care staff by telephone.
We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records, seven medicine administration records, medicines storage, polices and audits. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and range of records relating to the maintenance of the service.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data, maintenance records, quality monitoring and auditing tools, and the minutes of staff meetings.
Updated
7 May 2021
About the service
London Road Neurological & Specialist Care Unit is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care for up to 33 people. At the time of the inspection there were 20 people in residence. The service provides care for people with a genetic or acquired brain injury, people with degenerative conditions and people with stroke or cardiac conditions, who require palliative and long-term care.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Family members spoke positively about the care and support their relative received, and how staff from the service kept them informed about any changes in their relative’s health and well-being. A family member told us, “I've always been a co-ordinator in my mum's care, and the staff really respect my role by working in partnership with me.”
People’s records provided clear information for staff about their role in promoting health, safety and welfare. Potential risks were assessed and kept under review. Staff undertook training in topics which promoted people’s health, welfare and safety. Medicine was managed consistent with the provider’s policy and procedure. Medication was administered in accordance with people’s personalised protocols and guidance.
The service had set up a visiting area within the conservatory reflective of COVID-19 guidance. Staff wore personal protective equipment (PPE) and they understood the importance of infection prevention and control. Both people and staff were routinely tested for COVID, consistent with the current government guidance.
Relatives and staff spoke positively about the open and effective communication between themselves and the management team, and how this enabled all parties to work in partnership with regards to key decisions about people’s care.
Staff were supported through ongoing supervision, and meetings were held to share ideas and good practice guidance. The management team kept under review the quality of the service through routine quality monitoring and ongoing and open communication with external organisations to share ideas and keep up to date with good practice guidance.
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 22 October 2019).
Why we inspected
We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection of this service on 16 and 17 September 2019. A breach of legal requirements was found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve safe care and treatment.
We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the key questions Safe, which contained the legal requirement and Well-led.
The ratings from the previous comprehensive inspection for those key questions not looked at on this occasion were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection. The overall rating for the service has changed from Requires improvement to Good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for London Road Neurological & Specialist Care Unit on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.