Cherington

Updated 16 April 2021

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.

As part of CQC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at the preparedness of care homes in relation to infection prevention and control. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 23 March 2021 and was announced.

Updated 16 April 2021

About the service:

Cherington is a care home registered to provide nursing and residential care and accommodation for 42 people living with various health conditions, including dementia. There were 37 people living at the service on the day of our inspection. Cherington is located over three floors accessed by a lift, with shared lounges and dining areas. The service is in Bognor Regis, West Sussex.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

People’s experience of using this service:

• Since the previous inspection, sufficient improvements in relation to safety, person centred care delivery, quality monitoring and governance had been made. However, these improvements to systems and care would need to be sustained and monitored over time to ensure a good level of quality and safety was maintained.

• People were happy with the care they received, felt relaxed with staff and told us they were treated with kindness. They said they felt safe, were well supported and there were sufficient staff to care for them.

• Our own observations supported this and we saw friendly relationships had developed between people and staff. One person told us, “The staff are lovely. They always take time to talk to you, and ask if they can help when they are getting you up in the morning, and they will share a bit of a joke and a chat with you sometimes”.

• People enjoyed an independent lifestyle and told us their needs were met. They enjoyed the food, drink and activities that took place daily. A visitor told us, “When they did the assessment of [my relative’s] needs before he came in, I was there and they asked me lots of questions about how he was, what he could do and what he couldn’t. It was very thorough and I really got the feeling it was centred around him personally. Obviously, the home has to have a certain amount of routine, but overall, I think his care is about him and not standardised”.

• People felt the service was homely and welcoming to them and their visitors. One person told us, “My son comes in to see me sometimes and the staff are always very welcoming. I’ve no complaints with them at all”. A visitor added, “I think the staff are very kind, to my [relative] and to me and my family as well. Whenever I come in, the first thing they do is offer me a cup of tea or coffee and update me on how he is”.

• People told us they thought the service was well managed and they enjoyed living there. A visitor told us, “There’s flashier places than this, but the care might not be as good. I think they are quite clued up here and I’m happy that he’s in good hands. I would happily recommend them based on the care they have provided for my [family member]”.

• Staff had received essential training and it was clear from observing the care delivered and the feedback people and staff gave us, that they knew the best way to care for people in line with their needs and preferences. A member of staff told us, “The shadow shifts and training I’ve had have helped me a lot”.

• The provider supported people to stay safe by assessing and mitigating risks, ensuring that people were cared for in a person centred way and that the provider learned from any mistakes.

• Our own observations and the feedback we received supported this. People received high quality care that met their needs and improved their wellbeing from dedicated. A member of staff told us, “We give the best care we can, I love working here”.

Rating at last inspection: Requires Improvement (report published 19 December 2018).

Why we inspected: This was a scheduled inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor the intelligence we receive about this home and plan to inspect in line with our re-inspection schedule for those services rated Good.