We carried out a review of the data available to us about The Conifers Rest Home on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about The Conifers Rest Home, you can give feedback on this service.
We found the following examples of good practice:
• People were supported to maintain contact with family members and friends using telephones and video calling. Visits were not currently taking place but had been facilitated where it was safe to do so.
• Staff were observed to wear the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in line with government guidance. PPE was accessible throughout the service.
• Cleaning schedules had been increased to ensure high touch surfaces such as door handles and light switches were cleaned regularly. Additional cleaning had been introduced to maintain good hygiene standards.
• The service was using the space available to enable people to socially distance. The dining room had been re-designed so people could sit at a safe distance from each other.
• The service had an up to date infection control policy.
• People were safely admitted to the service in line with government guidance.
• Staff supported people to engage in socially distanced activities. People were supported to celebrate important birthdays and events. Photos and videos were shared with family members.
• People and staff were regularly tested for COVID-19.
The Conifers Rest Home is a residential care home that provides personal care for up to 18 people aged 65 and over. There were 18 people living in the home at the time of the inspection.
People’s experience of using this service:
People and relatives were exceptionally positive about the staff and the management team. People told us the service was like a family home, staff were longstanding and knew people extremely well. Staff told us that it was a very happy team and they all worked well together. People told us staff were very caring and compassionate. There was a very friendly atmosphere, and everyone appeared to know each other well, including relatives, staff and people living there. The registered manager was very visible and very person centred. People and their relatives could not speak highly enough of the example she set and caring values she promoted across all staff. Staff were very knowledgeable about people’s needs and supported people to remain as independent as possible.
People received safe care and staff were aware of their responsibilities to keep people safe. Risk assessments to reflect people’s changing needs, were well managed. Staff received effective training and there were sufficient numbers of staff to meet people’s needs. The management team took a creative approach to ensuring staffing was safe and the needs of people and staff were both supported very well. Staff were very proud to work at the service and external healthcare professionals said it was an exceptional team that delivered an excellent service.
People received extremely good care that effectively met their needs. People were well supported to eat and drink and dietary needs were well managed.
The registered manager had implemented technology to provide good monitoring of people’s healthcare needs, involving people in decisions about their health and care.
There was a strong person-centred culture throughout the service and staff were skilled at providing compassionate and caring support for people. People’s dignity was managed with thoughtfulness. Care was individualized with people’s choices and preferences respected. Information was provided in formats that were accessible to people. Complaints and concerns were comprehensively recorded and fully investigated with lessons learned and action taken appropriately.
The service was very well led. There was a strong emphasis on person centred care with support for people and their relatives to make decisions about their care. People’s identity and needs were at the forefront of care planning to ensure their wishes were known. Staff felt well supported by the registered manager, who was open to change and had implemented excellent technology to assist people’s wellbeing and care. Systems were in place to monitor accidents and incidents to identify any lessons learned and make improvements where required.
Safe recruitment was followed to ensure the staff employed were suitable to care for people and shared the values of the service. People received their medicine as prescribed and this was administered by staff who were competent. The provider was following relevant guidance for infection control. The environment was clean and well maintained.
The service was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA). People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. Policies and systems were in place to support this practice.
There was a registered manger in post who was available throughout the inspection. 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.
Rating at last inspection:
The service was last inspected on 10 November 2016 and was rated good, with outstanding in caring.
Why we inspected:
The inspection took place on 26 March 2019 and was an unannounced, planed, comprehensive inspection.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
On the day of our inspection there was a registered manager in place. 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.
People were supported by staff who understood how to reduce the risks of people experiencing avoidable harm and abuse. Accidents and incidents were investigated, analysed and used to reduce the risk to people’s safety. Regular assessments were carried out of the risks to people’s safety, the environment in which they lived and the equipment used to support them. Processes were in place to support people to lead as free a life as possible with the minimum of restrictions.
People felt there were enough staff to support them safely. Appropriate checks of staff suitability to work at the service had been conducted prior to them commencing their role. People’s medicines were managed safely.
People were supported by staff who completed an induction prior to commencing their role and had the skills and training needed to support them effectively. However, a more consistent approach to the frequency of supervisions was needed.
The registered manager ensured they had recorded how the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) had been applied when decisions had been made for people. The appropriate processes had been followed when applications for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards had been made.
People spoke highly of the food and were supported to follow a healthy and balanced diet. People’s day to day health needs were met by staff and external health and social care professionals.
Staff supported people in a very kind, caring and respectful way. Staff had an excellent understanding of people’s needs and listened to and acted upon their views. People and staff clearly liked each other’s company. People were provided with information they needed if they wished to speak with an independent advocate about their care. Innovative methods were used to encourage each person to lead their lives in the way they wanted to. There was a clear and person centred approach to care delivery, with staff often going above and beyond what would normally be expected of them. People were treated with dignity and their requests for privacy were always respected.
People were able to contribute to decisions about their care. People were provided with information about how they could access independent advocates. People’s friends and relatives were able to visit whenever they wanted to.
People were involved with planning the care they wanted to receive from staff. People’s care records were written in a person centred way and staff knew people’s likes and dislikes and what interested them. Thoughtful activities were in place that encouraged all people to do the things that were important to them. People were provided with the information they needed if they wished to make a complaint.
The registered manager led the service well, understood their responsibilities and were well liked and respected by people, staff and relatives. People, relatives and staff felt the service was well managed. People were encouraged to provide feedback and this information was used to improve the service. There were a number of quality assurance processes in place that regularly assessed the quality and effectiveness of the support provided.