• Care Home
  • Care home

Corona House Residential Home

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

1 Osmaston Road, Prenton, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH42 8PY (0151) 608 3536

Provided and run by:
Mrs Deborah Wallace and Mr John Wallace

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about Corona House Residential Home on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.

This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.

If you have concerns about Corona House Residential Home, you can give feedback on this service.

11 February 2022

During an inspection looking at part of the service

The home provides accommodation with personal care for up to 15 older adults. At the time of our inspection, 8 people lived in the home.

We found the following examples of good practice.

Wirral Infection Control team visited the service on in December 2021 and found that infection control standards and practices were very good. At this visit, we found the same. There were robust policies and procedures in place and the manager, and the staff team had worked hard to mitigate the risk of COVID-19.

Provisions were in place to ensure visitors were safe to see their loved ones. There were easy to read posters on the entrance to the home advising staff and visitors of the symptoms to spot before they entered the home. All visits were pre-booked with visitors asked to show a negative lateral flow test (LFT) prior to entry. Professional visitors were also asked to evidence they were vaccinated against COVID-19. Records in relation to visitor checks however were not kept and we recommended that the manager commence this immediately.

Visitors were able to visit their loved ones in the home’s conservatory which had a screen in place to mitigate COVID-19 risks or if they preferred, there was a dedicated visiting pod called the ‘garden room’ for people to utilise.

Staff wore appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure people were protected as much as possible from the risk of cross infection. There was a sufficient PPE in stock. PPE and hand sanitising gel was located throughout the home. Staff had received training in infection control and how to put on and take off PPE safely.

On the day we visited, the home was clean and hygienic. We saw that there was a daily cleaning regime in place for cleaning and decontamination purposes but records of the daily cleaning tasks completed, were not kept. We recommended the manager do so.

All staff and people living at the service were part of a regular programme of testing for COVID-19 and the manager had clear oversight of this process. All staff and people living in the home were vaccinated against COVID-19.

5 January 2018

During a routine inspection

Corona House Residential Home is registered to provide accommodation for up to 15 people who require accommodation and support with their personal care. The home is close to local shops and has good public transport links. At the time of our inspection six people lived at the home.

At the last inspection the service was rated good. At this inspection we found the service remained good.

We spoke with three people who lived in the home and a relative. They all gave positive feedback about the home and the staff who worked in it. It was clear from what people and the relative we spoke with said that the manager and staff team were highly thought of. They told us the manager and all of the staff were kind, caring and compassionate. They told us the support was good.

People’s care records contained clear and easy to understand information about people’s needs and risks and how to support them effectively. Care plans were person centred and gave staff information about the person’s preferences and what was important to them. Staff spoken with had a good knowledge of people’s needs and spoke with genuine affection about the people they supported. The atmosphere at the home was homely, relaxed and nurturing. It was clear that people felt relaxed and comfortable in the company of staff.

Staff recruitment was safe. The manager had ensured the service was staffed sufficiently at all times not only to ensure people’s practical needs were met but also to ensure that staff had sufficient time to chat socially to people and build positive relationships. This was evident in their day to day interactions and by the conversations people had with staff which were spontaneous and natural.

Accidents and incidents and people’s health needs were managed appropriately with support from a range of health and social care professionals. Medication was managed safely and people received enough to eat and drink. People told us the food was of a good quality and they had a good choice.

Staff received appropriate support and supervision in their job role. Some of the staff training was out of date and required refreshing but the manager had already picked this up and was in the process of addressing this. All of the staff spoken with knew people well and were able to tell us how they cared for people. People we spoke told us that the care provided was good and they felt safe at the home.

A diverse range of person centred activities were provided ranging from a knitting group, singing and poetry to trips out to the seaside and to local eateries for a drink and a slice of cake. This promoted people’s social and emotional well-being.

There were a range of effective mechanisms in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service and the views of people and staff were regularly sought by the manager. This was good practice.

During our visit, we had no concerns about people’s care or the service itself. We found the home to be well-run with a passionate and caring staff team.

5 November 2015

During a routine inspection

We undertook this comprehensive inspection on the 5 November 2015, this was an unannounced visit.

Corona House is registered to provide personal care and accommodation for up to 15 people. The home is situated in Prenton, Wirral. It is within walking distance of local shops and has good transport links. There is a small car park and garden available within the grounds. A stair lift enables access to the bedrooms located on the first floor for people with mobility issues. Communal bathrooms with specialised bathing facilities are available on each floor. On the ground floor, there is a communal lounge, conservatory and dining room for people to use. The home is decorated to a good standard throughout.

On the day of our visit, there was a registered manager in post. The registered manager was also the owner (provider) of the care home. 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.

People who lived at the home were happy there and held the staff in high regard. They said they were well looked after. People who lived at the home were supported to maintain their independence and were treated with dignity and respect at all times. People were provided with a range of activities and there was a social and relaxed atmosphere throughout. From our observations it was clear that staff genuinely cared for the people they looked after and knew them well.

People had access to sufficient quantities of nutritious food and drink throughout the day and were given suitable menu choices at each mealtime. People’s special dietary requirements were also catered for.

The home had the majority of medication supplied in monitored dosage packs from their local pharmacy. Records relating to these monitored dosage medications were accurate. There were minor discrepancies with boxed medication which we spoke to the registered manager about. All medication records were completely legibly and properly signed for. All staff giving out medication were medication trained. We observed a medication round and saw that medicines were administered safely.

Staff were recruited safely and there were sufficient staff were on duty to meet people’s needs. Staff had received the training they needed to do their jobs safely and were appropriately supported in the workplace.

People told us they felt safe at the home and had no worries or concerns. Staff we spoke with were knowledgeable about types of abuse and what to do if they suspected abuse had occurred.

We reviewed three care records. Care plans provided sufficient information on people’s needs and risks and guidance to staff on how to meet them. We saw that people’s preferences and wishes in the delivery of care had been listened to and care had been designed so that these preferences and wishes were respected.

Regular reviews of care plans took place to monitor any changes to the support people required and people had prompt access to other healthcare professionals as and when required. For example, doctors, dentists, district nurses and chiropody services.

We saw that staff asked people’s consent before providing support and that people were able to choose how they lived their lives at the home. No one living at the home was living with mental health conditions that impacted on their capacity to consent to decisions made about their care.

We saw that people were provided with information about the service and life at the home. Information in relation to how people could make a complaint was available and displayed in the home. It contained incorrect contact details for the Local Authority Department to whom people could contact if they wished to make a formal complaint. No-one we spoke with had any complaints. The manager told us no complaints had been received.

The premises were safe and well maintained. The home was free from hazards and clean. Equipment was properly serviced and maintained and the home had recently been awarded a five star rating (excellent) by Environmental Health.

People who lived at the home and staff told us that the home was well led. Staff told us that they felt well supported in their roles and that they were able to express their views. The management of the home was well organised, staff were confident in their roles and were observed to work well as a team. The manager was ‘hands on’ and the culture of the home was homely and inclusive.

The manager told us that a visual inspection of the home was undertaken on daily basis for health and safety purposes. They said that they reviewed accident and incident information, regularly checked medication stocks to ensure they balanced with medication administration records and had a cleaning checklist in place to ensure that infection control standards were maintained. We could see that the home was free from hazards, in a good state of repair and clean but the manager had not documented all of the checks undertaken so we could not verify that the audits took place, their frequency or the responsiveness of the manager in relation to any issues identified.

We noted that accidents and incident records had been signed off by the manager to confirm appropriate action had been taken but no analyses of this information were undertaken to identify any potential trends in how, when and where accident or incidents occurred.

People’s feedback was gained through residents meetings and the use of satisfaction questionnaires. We reviewed the results of the last satisfaction survey undertaken in September 2015 and saw that it was positive.

13 December 2013

During a routine inspection

The home was owned by Mrs Deborah Wallace and Mr John Wallace and Mrs Wallace was also the registered manager. A total of 22 staff were employed, all working part-time. All of the care staff had a national vocational qualification in care. One of the people we spoke with said 'I get on well with all the staff'.

The home was a domestic style property and all parts of the premises were clean, tidy and well-maintained. There were no unpleasant smells. Some bedrooms were shared by two people and arrangements were in place to ensure people's privacy. People's dignity and independence were promoted and there was written information about people's personal preferences in daily living. The home was only able to accommodate people who were mobile, however people could usually be supported during periods of illness and for end of life care with support from GPs and district nurses.

People had a choice of what to eat and drink and daily food and fluid monitoring charts were in place for people who may be at risk. A range of social activities was provided every day and people told us "There is always something going on". People we spoke with said:

'Everybody is very caring.'

'The staff are very kind to us.'

'I have lived here more than ten years and I am very happy, it is lovely.'

'The staff are so attentive to everyone.'

7 January 2013

During a routine inspection

When we visited Corona House we spoke to four people who used the service and four members of staff. We also spoke with the visiting hairdresser and District Nurse. People who used the service told us that they were very comfortable and happy living here. They said they felt very safe and well looked after. People said they were always accompanied by a carer when walking to ensure that they didn't fall. They said they were very happy with the care they received and with the food, and that they were given a choice at mealtimes.

One person said "If I don't like something on the menu they will always provide an alternative".

We found that a range of different activities were provided to keep people stimulated. One lady told us that she enjoyed the activities provided at the home. She said "I do the chair exercises". We were told by three people living in the home that there was plenty to do. One person told us "I am able to go out shopping with a carer". The hairdresser told us that she comes every Monday and everyone gets a choice on having their hair done.

People told us that they found staff very approachable. One person said "If there was anything bothering I could ask for help and I wouldn't be afraid to complain". Another person told us that there was a regular residents meeting where the residents were able to discuss and make changes. People at Corona House were involved in decision making and have choice.

14 February 2012

During a routine inspection

As part of this review of compliance we asked relatives to comment on the operation of the service. We also asked Wirral Borough Council, contract department, LINKs* and health professionals who regularly support people using the service for their views. LINKs had no up to date information for this compliance review. Wirral Borough Council contract department had no concerns to raise about this service.

An expert by experience accompanied us on this visit. An expert by experience has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses a health, mental health and/or social care service. They made observations, and spoke to the people using the service and staff. The expert by experience found that the staff treated the people using the service very well and observed very high standards of care are provided. She commented that staff were attentive to people's care needs and there was an atmosphere of friendship in the home between the staff and the people using the service.

The people using the service said they are very happy with the care they receive. They said the staff are kind and they feel well looked after. They said they had never experienced any form of abuse. Their comments included:

'I chose this home myself and chose correctly. I feel I get the best care and the staff could not be more helpful. Staff look after my clothes well

except for the odd item which they later found. They listen to what I have to say, and they bring my neighbour and myself a small sherry before

lunch which we enjoy. '

'I enjoy doing crosswords and the staff always join in and assist. It helps

my brain to keep ticking over and we always have a laugh. Today staff are taking me to have my cataracts tended to. Staff are so helpful it stops me worrying about things. The food is good, especially the homemade steak pie.'

'I am not feeling very well today, but the staff have called the doctor who

I am expecting this morning sometime. I only have to ask staff for anything I need and they help me. I cannot find my replacement hearing aid batteries but staff have gone to get me some from the office.'

'I have only been here a few months, but I am very happy, and the food is very good. There couldn't be a better place.'

'It was my birthday last week, I am 103 years old. We had a party and the cook made me a special cake. Staff take good care of me.'

Relatives spoken with said they were very happy with the care their relative received. Their comments included:

'I cant speak highly enough of the staff, they are all excellent. The staff are very respectful towards the people using the service. This is a 10 star home.'

'My relative is very happy and well looked after. The staff are wonderful and like friends. I really enjoy visiting the home.'

'I have the greatest of respect for all the staff. The home is excellent.'

'The home is very well managed.'

"My mum is very well looked after, the staff are all brilliant."

'Debbie the manager is very good, I am very impressed.'

'I am very impressed with every aspect of the home. Staff are very good at keeping us informed about what's going on and the care and respect given to my relative is excellent.'

'The care is excellent. I have no problems with the home at all. The staff do an excellent job. When my mum wasn't well, the staff were excellent in the way they looked after her.'

We spoke with four health care professionals involved in the service. They were very impressed with the care provided and the way in which the home is managed. Their comments included:

"The staff are marvellous. I have never seen any signs of abuse or neglect. The staff always keep us informed when people are unwell."

'The manager is brilliant, very organised and on top of things.'

'The care given at this home is very good indeed. All my patients seem very happy and I have no concerns. The staff know about my patients' individual care needs and the staff are very caring.'

The manager is very good and I am very impressed. The staff turnover is low which is good.'

* LINKs is a networks of individuals and organisations that have an interest in improving health and social care services. They are independent of the council, NHS and other service providers. LINks aim to involve local people in the planning and delivery of services.