Aldridge Court Nursing Home

Updated 23 July 2019

The inspection:

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 was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team:

This inspection was carried out by an inspector and an Expert 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 and understands dementia care.

Service and service type:

Aldridge Court Nursing Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and

nursing or personal care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

Notice of inspection:

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did:

Prior to the inspection we reviewed information we held about the service since their last inspection. This included notifications received from the provider about deaths, accidents/incidents and safeguarding alerts which they are required to send us by law. We also contacted the local authority who commissioned services from this provider. They raised no concerns about the service.

During the inspection we spoke with five people, six relatives, four members of staff, the activities coordinator, senior carer, two nurses, the cook and registered manager. We also spoke with a health care professional who were visiting the home.

We looked at the care and review records for three people who used the service, the management records for how people were administered medicines, as well as a range of records relating to the running of the service and the activities people were involved in. Our overall observations included how people and staff communicated and interacted and how people were supported using 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.

Updated 23 July 2019

About the service:

Aldridge Court Nursing Home is a care home providing personal care and accommodation for up to 59 people who are frail or are living with dementia. On the day of the inspection, 42 people were receiving support.

People’s experience of using this service:

People received safe care. People were supported safely and there were enough staff to keep them safe. The provider had recruitment systems in place to ensure only appropriate staff were appointed to support people. Where people were administered medicines, this was carried out as it was prescribed. Staff had access to appropriate equipment in line with the provider’s infection control procedures. Risk assessments were in place to identify how risks were managed and where accidents and incidents took place, trends were monitored.

People received effective care. Staff had the knowledge and skills they needed to support people how they wanted. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. People decided what meals they had to eat and could access drinks when needed so they did not dehydrate. People could access health care professionals when needed with the support from staff.

People received support that was caring, compassionate and kind. People told us they decided how staff supported them. Staff were respectful of people’s privacy, dignity and independence.

People received support that was responsive to their needs. Assessments and care plans were carried out to ensure the support people received was what they wanted. There was a complaints process in place which people used to raise concerns.

The service was not always well led. The registered manager demonstrated a good understanding of the service and had plans in place to improve the service people received. Communication between the service and people was good. Audits and spot checks were carried out, but there were concerns as to their effectiveness. The provider was unable to evidence how they ensured the service quality was maintained. Questionnaires and resident meetings were used to engage with people and the information gathered was analysed to make improvements to the service.

Rating at last inspection:

Rated Good (Report published 18/03/2016).

Why we inspected:

This was a planned comprehensive inspection.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor the service through the information we receive until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.

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