Archived: Christian Head

Christian Head is a residential care home that provides personal care and accommodation for up to 31 people. At the time of our inspection there were 18 people living at the home. Accommodation is provided over two floors, one of which specialises in providing care for people living with dementia

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People were cared for by staff who had received training on safeguarding to keep people safe from avoidable harm. Sufficient staff were available to meet their needs and people told us when they needed assistance staff responded promptly. People received their medicines as prescribed and systems were in place for the safe management and supply of medicines. Incidents and accidents were recorded. The premises were clean and hygienic and staff followed infection control and prevention procedures.

People were supported to live healthy lives, had access to professionals as they needed and a choice of a nutritious diet. The service worked with other organisations to provide effective and consistent care and treatments. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People and their relatives were positive about the service and the care provided. People were cared for by staff who were kind and compassionate. The atmosphere within the home was friendly and welcoming towards the people they cared for and promoted their independence and personal dignity.

Staff responded to people’s individual needs and wishes and had a good knowledge about each person. People were supported at the end of their life to be comfortable and free from distressing symptoms and pain. People could pursue their own interests inside and outside the home and had access to activities and entertainment they enjoyed. Systems were in place to deal with any complaints raised about the service.

The registered manager displayed knowledge and understanding around the importance of openness and working closely with other agencies and healthcare professionals to make sure people had good care. People who used the service and staff said the registered manager was available and approachable and their views were sought to improve aspects of the service.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 25 May 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

Christian Head is a residential care home that provides personal care and accommodation for up to 31 people. At the time of our inspection there were 19 people living at the home. Accommodation is provided over two floors, one of which specialises in providing care for people living with dementia. Christian Head is located close to local shops and services in Kirkby Stephen including doctors' surgeries, banks and churches.

The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Care plans were subject to regular review to ensure they met people’s changing needs. They were easy to read, based on assessments and reflected the needs of people. Risk assessments were carried out and plans were in place to reduce risks to people’s safety and welfare.

Where people were not able to make important decisions about their lives the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were followed to protect their rights. Staff were aware of how to identify and report abuse and knew what to do if staff had concerns about the practice of a colleague.

There was sufficient staff to meet people’s needs. They were trained to an appropriate standard and received regular supervision and appraisal. As part of the recruitment process the service carried out background checks on new staff.

The service managed medicines appropriately. They were correctly stored, monitored and administered in accordance with the prescription. People were supported to maintain their health and to access health services if needed. People who required support with eating and drinking received it and had their nutrition and hydration support needs regularly assessed.

Staff had developed good relationships with people and communicated in a warm and friendly manner. They were aware of how to treat people with dignity and respect. Policies were in place that outlined acceptable standards in this area.

There was a complaints procedure which informed people how to make a complaint and how long it would take to deal with. People were aware of how to raise a complaint and who to speak to about any concerns they had. The registered manager understood the importance of acknowledging and improving areas of poor practice identified in complaints.

The home was well led by a registered manager who had a vision for the future of the service. A quality assurance system was in place that was utilised to improve the service.