Stronvar Rest Home

On this page

• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained Good.

This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. Staff listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.

The registered manager had systems in place for monitoring outcomes for people, and where these fell short, quick actions were taken to address them. This included engagement with external professionals, identifying what needed to happen to improve outcomes for individuals and sharing that learning with all staff.

A health professional gave an example of how following guidance improved pressure care, leading to better outcomes and reduced risk of harm for individuals using the service

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety was managed or monitored. They made sure there was continuity of care, including when people moved between different services.

The registered manager ensured that people were referred quickly to additional health professional input when the need arose. One professional told us, “They routinely escalate concerns to community nursing team, for example they notice a [person’s] skin is beginning to discolour and request upgrade to pressure relieving equipment. This early intervention prevents skin breaking down,” and “For example. they have noticed a person has a downward trend in weight and refer to dietetics, or notice [person] appears to have increased pain and will request GP or nursing practitioner review assessment for pain reviewed.” This demonstrated proactive monitoring and timely escalation of concerns to ensure people received responsive, coordinated care tailored to their changing needs.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. Staff concentrated on improving people’s lives while protecting their right to live in safety, free from bullying, harassment, abuse, discrimination, avoidable harm and neglect. The provider shared concerns quickly and appropriately.

Staff told us how and when they would report safeguarding concerns and all staff had completed required safeguarding training. One said, “I know that I would be supported raise concerns, but if I wasn’t I would inform CQC and the local authority safeguarding team.” This demonstrated staff understood their safeguarding responsibilities and felt confident to speak up, including using external escalation routes when needed, to ensure people were protected from abuse or avoidable harm.

The provider worked with people to understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. Staff provided care to meet people’s needs that was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them.

Peoples care plans contained detailed information about how staff could best support them to manage identified risks, including how to communicate with people in line with their capabilities to involve them well. Examples included where people had fluctuating capacity due to living with a dementia and needed to support to manage conditions such as diabetes.

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care.

Staff used equipment such as hoists to support people who were unable to mobilise independently, which were maintained in line with legal requirements. Staff ensured that spaces were uncluttered for ease of people moving around the home. The provider had clear protocols in managing fire risk and other environmental risks at the home. The kitchen staff managed a well-maintained food area.

The provider made sure there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received effective support, supervision and development. They worked together well to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs.

Staff had undertaken a robust induction with shadowing and training to support people. The registered manager had ensured that new staff had undergone appropriate pre-employment checks before they began working with people. Some staff said they would prefer more in person training as a lot of training was online, but they were knowledgeable about supporting people’s needs and told us they could ask for additional training if they needed it.

The provider assessed and managed the risk of infection. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading and shared concerns with appropriate agencies promptly.

Cleaning staff maintained a thoroughly clean environment. Staff were observed wearing the correct personal protection equipment and disposing of it in line with best practice. The provider had ensured that equipment was easily accessible to staff and there was a safe system for disposing waste at the service.

The provider made sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. Staff involved people in planning, including when changes happened.

Staff were able to show us safe storage of medications, and the registered manager was able to demonstrate how staff had been trained and observed to ensure continued competency. Peoples medicine records clearly documented how they liked to receive medications, when PRN [as required medications] might be used and whether they had any allergies. There were clear procedures for ordering and safe disposal of medications. The kitchen staff knew who required thickener in fluids, prescribed for people at risk of choking. This ensured people received their fluids safely and in line with their assessed needs, reducing the risk of choking and aspiration and supporting people’s health and wellbeing.