St Annes Nursing 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 inspection we rated this key question good. At this inspection 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 service had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. They listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.

People and their relatives told us they were confident the service learned from events, giving us many examples of where there was a part of their care and approach which changed for the better. Records showed staff recorded incidents and accidents when they occurred, in line with the service’s polices and procedures. There was a strong approach to learning within the service, the manager was passionate about learning through events by continually analysing all aspects and told us, “We need to learn, be open and transparent.” Staff reflected on what went well and how things could work better or be improved. This meant the service was working proactively to learn from events.

The service 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.

People felt confident their needs would be met by staff and details would be shared to promote continuity in care. Information from medical professionals was included within people’s care and support plans. Staff told us information was available to them if they needed it. This included, when a person went to hospital or moved to a new care service. People’s needs, and care requirements were detailed within their care plans and risk assessments on the electronic system. A health and social care professional told us, “We have a good working relationship with St Anne’s Nursing Home.”

The service worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. They 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 service shared concerns quickly and appropriately.

People told us they were safe living at the service. A relative told us, “I feel my loved one is safe living at St Annes Nursing Home, they are so good, and they are on the ball with everything.” Another relative said, “I have always felt reassured that my loved one is safe and well looked after.” Staff had received training in safeguarding adults; they told us how they would raise concerns and were confident the provider and manager would act immediately. Safeguarding procedures were in place to ensure people were protected from avoidable harm. The manager told us, “We learn from safeguarding events, to ensure we can improve things.” We observed staff working in safe ways throughout the inspection. Records showed safeguarding referrals had been made as necessary and this included notifying CQC of certain events as required by law. All legal applications had been made in accordance with DoLS, this meant people’s rights were fully respected. The manager had oversight of DoLS applications, authorisations, and conditions and used records to ensure all documentation was in date. A member of staff said, “The manager will address anything straight away.”

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

People were involved in assessing the risks to their wellbeing; their needs had been identified and measures to reduce risks put in place. Staff told us the instruction they had to keep people safe such as, care plans and risk assessments were clear and accessible. We observed staff working in line with these safe assessments, for example, when supporting people to move and transfer around the service using equipment. A relative told us, “My loved one is safe, that’s a good word for them.” The providers electronic care planning system meant information and changes about people’s care was updated immediately. The assessment of risk was carried out with the person and their best interests at the centre of any plans made.

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

People were safe from hazards in their environment, the service had robust risk assessments in place to ensure all maintenance and upkeep was carried out. There was dedicated staff working on changes and updates. The provider told us the service had an ongoing refurbishment and redecoration plan in place. Equipment and utility checks were in place and closely monitored to ensure safety. The service used external specialists and contractors to undertake some checks particularly where there was need for a specialism, such as gas, electrical and fire safety. We observed the service to be maintained and acknowledged the plans in place. A health and social care professional told us, “The residents always appear to be well cared for, in a safe environment.”

The service 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.

People told us staff were there when they needed them. People and their relatives told us there was enough staff on duty, and they had the right skills to support them with their needs. Staff received training, guidance and support to ensure they could carry out their role effectively. A relative told us, “What is amazing is the friendliness of the staff.” Staff were overwhelmingly complimentary about the support from the manager and the provider. Formal supervisions were carried out and staff told us they could always access support. We observed the service to be a vibrant hub of activity in a relaxed way; staff were not rushing. There was a process in place to measure people’s dependency and need which had informed staffing levels within the service. Staff were recruited safely, and recruitment records reflected this. Procedures were in place to ensure the required checks were carried out on staff before they commenced their employment. This included enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for adults. DBS checks provide information including details about convictions and cautions held on the police national computer. The information helps employers make safer recruitment decisions. Staff learning and development was in place to ensure staff were properly inducted into the service and their knowledge developed. Staff had been supported with career progression and this included supporting nurses to maintain their registration. The provider and manager had oversight of training within the service.

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

People and their relatives told us the service was clean and tidy. Staff received training in infection prevention and control. Dedicated staff ensured the service was clean, they worked to agreed schedules. We observed the service to be clean and hygienic, this was mentioned positively to us by each person and their relatives. Personal protective equipment (PPE) was worn appropriately by staff. Safe infection prevention and control procedures were in place, and this underpinned practices within the service. Infection control procedures and audits were in line with good practice guidance. Staff had plentiful supplies of cleaning materials, products, and PPE.

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

People received their medicines as prescribed. There were safe processes in place for ordering, storage, administration and disposal of medicines. Staff who were responsible for giving people medicines were trained and had their competency assessed. Staff told us they worked well as a team to ensure medicines were safe. A robust programme of checks was in place to support safety. The provider’s electronic medicines system contained accurate recordings including stock counts. The provider and manager had oversight of the system. We observed medicines management to be organised and using safe systems and processes. Medicines were stored at safe temperatures and checks were in place to ensure this was maintained. Guidance supported staff to ensure medicines taken occasionally were given in a consistent way. Medicines which required stricter controls were monitored and correct control measures were in place. Audits and checks were in place to ensure compliance with medicines.