Background to this inspection
Updated
17 June 2022
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 Care Act 2014.
As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.
Inspection team
One Inspector, a specialist nurse advisor and an Expert by Experience carried out the inspection. 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
The service provides accommodation for people who requires personal and nursing care. The service is registered to provide care and support for up to 40 people.
This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. A registered manager was in place.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced.
What we did before inspection
We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return (PIR). Providers are required to send us key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We looked at information we held about the service including notifications they had made to us about important events. We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from professionals who work with the service. We reviewed information of concern, which was provided to us by the general public, professionals and relatives. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with seven people, two care workers, two nurses, two domestic staff, the registered manager, the team support manager and the provider.
We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records, medication records, infection control records, staff records and maintenance records. We also received a number of reports from the provider relating to governance, improvement plans and care plan and risk assessment audits.
After the inspection
The provider sent us additional information after we provided written feedback which was also analysed and used as evidence. Our expert by experience obtained feedback from 12 relatives via a phone call.
Updated
17 June 2022
About the service
Solent Cliff's is nursing home registered to provide personal and nursing care for up to 40 older people who may be living with dementia. At the time of our inspection 33 people were using the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
We could not be assured people always received the correct dosage of medicine. Medicine was not always stored safely.
The provider had assessed people's needs; however, risk was not always explored sufficiently with regards to skin care and swallowing difficulties.
We could not be assured the culture within the home was always inclusive and dignified.
Staff were knowledgeable about abuse and were confident any concerns were investigated and dealt with properly.
Staff were sufficiently deployed to meet people's needs at all times and relatives and people told us staff were trained appropriately.
The provider had effective measures in place to reduce the possibility or spread of infection.
Relative's, people and staff were complimentary about the leadership in the home and told us any concerns were dealt with in good time.
The registered manager had implemented effective governance systems which highlighted areas of improvement that were required. Some of the issues we identified during our inspection were known and recorded by the registered manager. They had already started taking action to address the concerns.
The provider had effective systems in place for monitoring accidents and incidents and action was taken to drive improvement.
Follow Up
We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.
Why we inspected
We received concerns in relation to the management of medicines, leadership, culture of care and safety. We were also advised staff did not share important information with external organisations including relatives. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only.
We reviewed the information we held about the service. No areas of concern were identified in the other key questions. We therefore did not inspect them. Ratings from previous comprehensive inspections for those key questions were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection.
The overall rating for the service has changed from good to requires improvement. This is based on the findings at this inspection. We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection of this service on 26 November 2018 and published the report on 22 January 2019.
Enforcement and Recommendations
We are mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when considering what enforcement action was necessary and proportionate to keep people safe as a result of this inspection. We will continue to monitor the service and will take further action if needed. We have identified a breach in relation to the management of medicines at this inspection. Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Solent Cliffs Nursing Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.