Background to this inspection
Updated
11 January 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
The inspection team consisted of one inspector and a medicines inspector on site. Another inspector reviewed some documentation remotely and an Expert by Experience contacted people and their relatives by telephone for feedback.
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
Stocks Hall Mawdesley (Stocks Hall) is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. Stocks Hall provides both nursing and personal care.
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. However, the registered manager was on leave at the time of our inspection. The acting manager was in charge of the day to day operation of the home.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
The provider had completed a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.
During the inspection
We spoke with five people who used the service and ten relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with six members of staff including the acting manager, senior care worker, care workers and receptionist.
We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and four staff files in relation to recruitment practices. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were also reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the acting manager to validate evidence found. We also reviewed quality assurance records.
Updated
11 January 2022
About the service
Stocks Hall, Mawdesley is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care for up to 42 adults. The home is also registered to accommodate people who are living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 39 people living at the home.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found.
Medicines were generally managed safely across the service. However, we have made some recommendations in this area.
The provider had established robust recruitment practices and records showed a good number of staff were employed. However, some people and some relatives felt staffing levels could be increased, particularly at night-time. We discussed this with the management team, who assured us the deployment of staff at night would be re-assessed.
People were mainly kept safe and protected from the risk of infections, including the transmission of Covid-19. We discussed good infection control practices around staff wearing face masks correctly with the acting manager at the time of our site visit, who assured us these would be addressed without delay.
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’s needs were being assessed and they were supported by staff who were trained and knowledgeable. The home worked closely with a range of community professionals so that people’s health and social care needs were being met.
People received safe care and support. Their preferences and wishes were respected by the staff team and independence was safely promoted. We observed some lovely interactions by staff members, who were clearly committed to the people who lived at Stocks Hall. One relative told us, “If I mention something to one of the carers or nurses, I know it will be done. The staff are really good and very proactive.”
People were provided with a good quality service, which was regularly assessed and closely monitored. Any shortfalls identified were addressed without delay. People provided us with positive feedback about the staff team and the management of the home. People looked relaxed in the company of staff and the senior staff were visible around the home.
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 19 November 2018).
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about the presence of pet dogs within the home. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks. 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.
We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.
The overall rating for the service remains good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Stocks Hall Mawdesley on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.