Daleside Nursing Home

Updated 19 January 2021

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

This inspection was carried out by an inspector, a specialist nurse advisor 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.

Service and service type

Daleside Nursing Home 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.

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. The day to day running of the home had been delegated to a home manager.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and health and social care professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with six people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with six members of staff including the home manager, cook, nurse and the clinical lead. We also spoke with the provider.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to safe recruitment. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as much as possible we limited the time we spent on site and had further discussions with the home manager and provider by videoconference. Also, we were unable to speak with family members in person, due to visiting restrictions. After our visit we contacted five people’s friends and family members by telephone about their experiences of the care provided.

Updated 19 January 2021

Daleside Nursing Home is a care home registered to provide residential and nursing care for up to 43 people. This includes accommodating up to 22 people in receipt of transfer to assess care. Transfer to assess care enables people, once medically fit, to be discharged from hospital into a care home setting on a short-term basis, with the aim of then returning home or moving into another community care setting. At the time of our inspection there were 14 people living at the home, three of whom were there on a transfer to assess basis.

The home is in one adapted building over three floors, with communal and dining areas on the ground floor and passenger lift access to each floor.

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

There was a positive, friendly and relaxed atmosphere within the home. We saw staff spending time with people, interacting with them in a kind and dignified manner. People told us that they liked the approach from staff and felt safe living at the home; one person said, “They are lovely to me here.”

We have made a recommendation about staff recruitment records.

We have made a recommendation about the storage of medication at the home.

The home manager and staff members had taken steps to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and help prevent the spread of any infection. The home manager made regular checks in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. There had been restrictions on visitors following government guidance. A safe visiting pod inside the building had recently been completed that was due to be used imminently to enable safe visits to take place.

People’s relatives and friends, along with some health and social care professionals told us at times they had difficulty contacting people and staff at the home. The provider told us that they were in the process of changing the telephone system to improve the response people received.

The support a person needed to remain safe was quickly verified and assessed when they arrived at the home. People’s medication was administered safely by trained staff members.

There were enough staff available to meet people’s needs safely. The provider told us they have a new system that will ensure there are enough staff members available when more people are residing at the home and ensure these are deployed effectively.

People choices, preferences and individualised needs were recorded as part of each person’s care planning process. Care planning was proactive in supporting people with diverse support needs.

Regular checks took place on the safety of the home’s environment. There was a system for recording any accidents, incidents or near misses that happened at the home. This system promoted learning from these incidents and making improvements when needed.

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 30 May 2019).

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted in part to look at the providers response to concerns received about the responsiveness of some people’s care and treatment in relation to skin care. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.

We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we undertook a focused inspection to only review the key questions of Safe and Well-led. Our report is only based on the findings in those areas reviewed at this inspection. The ratings from the previous comprehensive inspection for the Effective, Caring and Responsive key questions were not looked at on this occasion. Ratings from the previous comprehensive inspection 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 coronavirus and other infection outbreaks effectively.

The overall rating for the service remains good. This is based on the findings at this inspection. Please see the, “Is the service safe?” and “Is the service well-led?” sections of this full report.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Daleside Nursing Home 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.