Aranlaw House Care 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.

This is the first inspection for this newly registered service. This key question has been rated 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.

Accidents, incidents and events were recorded. The registered manager was informed of each incident and undertook reviews to identify trends. The registered manager had oversight and took action to prevent recurrence. Lessons learnt were shared in team meetings, supervisions and where appropriate, with people and their relatives.

A relative told us, “I am always kept informed straight away of any safeguarding issue regarding my loved one. The place feels safe and secure, with locked doors.”
 

Staff worked with people and healthcare partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety was managed or monitored. Staff ensured there was continuity of care, including when people moved between different services.

People’s support needs were detailed within their care plans and risk assessments on the electronic system. Information was shared effectively with other services.

A health and social care professional told us, “Communication between Aranlaw house Care Home, our service and family is good. They have been proactive in tweaking people’s care where there may be teething problems and are always responsive to requests from myself and healthcare colleagues.”
 

The service worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. Staff 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 can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment when this is in their best interests and legally authorised under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).
In care homes, and some hospitals, this is usually through MCA application procedures called the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the MCA, whether appropriate legal authorisations were in place when needed to deprive a person of their liberty, and whether any conditions relating to those authorisations were being met.

Staff told us they received safeguarding training and had every confidence the registered manager would act on concerns raised. Staff confirmed the service had clear reporting procedures and were aware of their duty to inform external agencies such as the local authority and police, of allegations of abuse.

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’s risk assessments were person centred and supported people to take positive risks and retain their independence. A relative told us, “I’ve got the comfort of knowing they do everything they can to keep my loved one safe there. It’s always safe there.”

Risk assessments contained clear instructions to staff, directing them on how to mitigate risk of harm to people. Relatives told us they were confident their loved ones are kept safe with support from staff at Aranlaw House Care Home.
 

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 looked relaxed and at ease when supported by staff with transfers, using equipment safely. Staff responded with kindness when they offered reassurance to a person who appeared distressed. A relative told us, “People living at the home have different needs and I have seen them settle well. This is due to the staff who do a wonderful job at supporting people who are living with dementia.”

Staff understood and followed the service’s health and safety procedures. Staff told us about daily tasks completed to keep people safe. These included safety checks of the environment and reporting any concerns to the registered manager, so these could be rectified. The registered manager, and the provider undertook regular health and safety audits, ensuring any areas for action were addressed.
 

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.

The service had effective processes in place to ensure staff had the necessary skills and competence to carry out their roles. Recruitment records showed staff were recruited safely. This included an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check 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 received training and support relevant to their roles. Staff told us they felt fully supported by the registered manager. A member of staff said, “The registered manager is the go-to lady, she is so supportive.” Another informed us, “We have good communication, there is no stress because we are a good team that comes from the top all the way down. I know I can even get hold of the nominated individual, she’s the big boss but she is willing to hear from us.”
Staff told us they were satisfied with training and development opportunities, comments included, “I am happy working here. I feel that I am being listened to, supported, and encouraged to reach my potential.” And, “The management has made my transition following a promotion much smoother than I expected, and I look forward to continuing to learn and contribute to the team.”
 

The service assessed and managed the risk of infection. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading.

Feedback from people and their relatives included, “The home is always clean, you see the staff from the laundry and cleaners around the place” and, “My relative’s room is clean, and actually my relative is always clean!”

Staff informed us they had access to personal protective equipment, had received training in infection control and followed the provider’s policy.

The provider told us of their passion for sourcing sustainable cleaning products. The nominated individual said they had “yet to find products able to meet the standard required in the service but we are committed to trying to get a balance between using chemicals and maintaining a high level of infection control.”

During this inspection, we observed the service was visibly clean and well maintained.
 

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.

Medicines were ordered, stored, and disposed of securely. Stocks of medicines were managed safely, in line with the provider’s medicines policy.
When medicines were prescribed to be taken ‘when required’ there were detailed and person-centred protocols in place to guide staff when these might be needed.

The registered manager welcomed input from health and social care professionals to review the medicines of people using the service, in line with the principles of stopping the over medication of people. This was supported with clear guidelines for staff about how to use medicine to support people during times of distress as a last resort. A health and social care professional commented, “There have been instances when people have had ‘when required’ behaviour medication reduced or eliminated after settling in at Aranlaw House Care Home, which I believe is a direct result of a positive approach from staff and more homely surroundings.”