Magnolia House

Updated 2 December 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.

Inspection team

The inspection team consisted of 2 inspectors and 2 Experts by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Magnolia House 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. Magnolia House 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

The inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make.

We reviewed the information we held about the service. We sought feedback from local authorities who work with the service and Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 13 people who use the service, 7 relatives and 7 members of staff, including the director, registered manager, care workers, and auxiliary staff. We spoke with 3 visiting healthcare professionals. We observed how staff supported people and provided care.

We reviewed a range of records including 4 care plans and 4 medicines administration records. We looked at 3 staff files in relation to recruitment, training, and support. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were examined.

Updated 2 December 2023

About the service

Magnolia House is a residential care home providing personal care to up to 96 people. The service provides support to older and younger adults, some of whom who are living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 65 people using the service.

People’s experience of the service and what we found:

The provider had systems and processes in place to protect people from the risk of abuse. Staff were trained and understood their roles in relation to safeguarding people and told us they felt able to report concerns. Risks posed to people were assessed and mitigated. Environmental risks were managed, and maintenance of the premises was in place. People and relatives told us they felt safe.

People were supported by enough staff. The service had a core staff team in place and people were supported by staff who knew them well. Staff were safely recruited. Medicines were safely managed. Systems were in place and allocated staff were champions to promote effective infection, prevention, and control. Staff were observed to be wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and the service was visibly clean. Accidents and incidents were monitored, with lessons learned and action taken to mitigate risks to people.

Staff received an induction and ongoing training to ensure they were competent to support people. Supervisions were carried out regularly and covered a range of topics which were currently relevant to the service's needs. Staff worked closely with external agencies to meet people's needs. We saw various visiting healthcare professionals at the time of our inspection, and they told us the service worked well with them to ensure people's health needs were met.

People were offered a choice of meals and drinks and were involved in menu planning. Snacks were available to people throughout the day and people told us. Where people required support with meals, such as specialised diets, records were in place to guide staff about how to safely support and monitor people's dietary intake.

The service was designed to meet the needs of people living there, such as coloured doors and signage, which can be useful for people living with dementia. Some areas of the service required refurbishment. The provider had an ongoing refurbishment plan in place to improve the environmental decor.

Peoples needs and wishes were assessed and recorded in care plans. People and relatives told us they were offered choices. 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’s privacy, dignity and independence was respected. People were able to personalise their rooms, with some having access to a private ensuite bathroom. People and relatives told us staff were kind and caring. Staff were passionate about providing person centred support and promoting people's well-being. We observed staff treating people with kindness and compassion.

Visitors were welcomed into the home. An activity co-ordinator planned daily activities, this included musical entertainer’s, crafts, and puzzles.

The service had a warm and welcoming atmosphere. People, relatives, and staff told us the service was well led. Staff felt supported in their roles and told us the registered manager was always available and approachable.

The provider had governance systems in place and had regular oversight of the service. Various audits were undertaken by the registered manager and provider, to ensure ongoing monitoring of the safety and quality of the service. This included compliance audits by an internal and external quality compliance team.

Systems were in place to gain feedback from relatives and staff. Feedback was used to continuously improve outcomes for people. Complaints and concerns were effectively managed.

People and relatives were kept informed of key events and achievements through a newsletter. People were involved in regular meetings.

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 the service under the previous provider was Good, published on 11 December 2020.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

Follow Up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.