The Cedars

Updated 22 November 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the home, and to provide a rating for the home under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 23 August 2017 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of an inspector, a specialist advisor and an expert by experience. The specialist advisor was a nurse. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care home.

Before the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the home. This included any incidents the provider was required to tell us about by law and concerns that had been raised with us by the public or health professionals who visited the home. We also reviewed information sent to us by the local authority who commission care for some people living at the home. Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the home, what the home does well and improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection we spoke with eight people who lived at the home and three relatives and spent time observing care. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us. We spoke with the area manager, the deputy manager, two nurses, the housekeeper, two care workers and a visiting healthcare professional.

We looked at seven care plans and other records which recorded the care people received. In addition, we examined records relating to how the home was run including staffing, training and quality assurance.

Updated 22 November 2017

The inspection took place on 23 August 2017 and was unannounced.

The Cedars provides nursing and residential care for up to 56 older people some of whom may be living with dementia or physical disabilities.

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

The provider had a set of audits in place to monitor the quality of care provided. However, we found that they had not identified concerns around recording of wound and continence care. In addition, they had not identified that topical medicines such as creams were not appropriately managed.

We have recommended the provider follow the best practice guidelines in recording care around these areas.

There were enough staff available to meet people’s needs and staff received appropriate training and support which enabled them to provide safe care to people. Appropriate recruitment checks were completed to ensure staff were safe to work with people living at the home.

Staff were kind and caring and knew how to provide care which supported People's individual needs. Staff knew how to identify and report abuse and the registered manager investigated concerns raised. Risks to people were identified and care was planned to minimise the risks to people’s wellbeing.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the home supported this practice. Where necessary people had been referred for a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards assessment and staff supported people to make choices about their care.

People were supported to take part in a wide range of activities which included accessing the local area. People were encouraged to identify activities that they would enjoy and staff worked to help them completed these activities.