Cornwallis Court

Cornwallis Court provides nursing and residential care for up to 68 older people in one adapted building. The service is provided across 4 units. At the time of our inspection there were 47 people using the service.

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

Leadership was described by people, their families and staff as extremely inclusive and supportive. Systems for governance and oversight of quality and safety were well established. There were robust systems in place to ensure high standards of care were provided and maintained. This included a variety of safety audits, surveys and staff performance checks. The management team led by example and put people at the heart of the service. People’s views were valued and they were consulted in the planning for improvement in the service.

People were extremely positive about the quality of care provided. Staff were passionate about providing excellent quality care and described by people as kind and respectful. People had their dignity and privacy respected and were supported to maintain their independence and live fulfilling lives.

Staff understood the importance of gathering consent from people. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives. Staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Risks to people were assessed and staff understood actions needed to mitigate the risk of harm whilst respecting people's freedoms and choices.

The service was clean, hygienic and a pleasant environment for people to live in. Infection, prevention and control practices kept people safe from preventable harm.

Staff understood how to recognise poor practice and abuse and knew what actions were needed if they had concerns. People told us they knew how to complain. Concerns were taken seriously and responded to appropriately. Complaints and compliments were shared with staff for reflective learning to address areas for improvement and to celebrate successes.

People were cared for by a dedicated and compassionate staff team who were valued and appreciated. Staff praised the working environment and the training and support they received to help provide high standards of care. Recruitment practices ensured staff were suitable for their roles. People had their medicines administered safely by trained staff who had their competencies assessed and checked regularly.

People received timely care and support in response to their healthcare needs, with immediate referrals to the relevant healthcare professionals if their health deteriorated. People and their relatives told us they had seen significant improvements in their loved ones health since moving to the service.

The service had a warm and homely environment, welcoming of people's friends and relatives, especially during organised events. People were supported by staff including activities staff who had the skills to meet their individual needs.

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

Why we inspected

We undertook this comprehensive inspection due to the length of time since the last inspection which was in excess of 5 years.

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 has changed from good to outstanding based on the findings of this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Cornwallis Court on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.

Cornwallis Court provides nursing and residential care for up to 74 older Freemasons and their dependants. The service is split into three units; residential, nursing and Geoffrey Dicker House. Geoffrey Dicker House is a separate building, which is part of Cornwallis Court and is specifically for people living with dementia.

Cornwallis Court was recently registered with the Care Quality Commission on 22 June 2017. The change in registration was the result of changes within the provider’s organisation. There had been a consolidation process amongst all of the charitable arms of the Masonic Foundation and all the social care services now come under the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution Care Company. The Nominated Individual remains the same.

Under the service’s previous registration, there was an incident where a person fell on an exposed heating pipe and sustained burns. This incident is subject to an investigation and as a result, this inspection did not examine the circumstances of the incident.

This is the first comprehensive inspection under this registration and as such, they have not yet received a CQC rating.

There were 70 people living in the service when we inspected on 17 and 19 January 2018. This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection.

The service did not have a registered manager, the previous manager left in June 2017. However, there was an appointed manager who has been in post since 8 January 2018, nine days before this inspection. While a new manager was being sought the service was managed by the deputy manager who was supported by a registered manager of a sister service. The manager told us that they were in the process of applying for registration. 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.

The people who lived in the service told us that they felt safe and well cared for. There were systems in place that provided guidance for staff on how to safeguard the people who used the service from the potential risk of abuse. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities in keeping people safe. There were processes in place to ensure the safety of the people who used the service. These included risk assessments, which identified how risks to people were minimised. There were sufficient numbers of trained and well-supported staff to keep people safe and to meet their needs. Where people required assistance to take their medicines there were arrangements in place to provide this support safely, following best practice guidelines.

Both the manager and the staff understood their obligations under the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The manager knew how to make a referral if required. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.

People were supported to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced diet. They were also supported to maintain good health and access healthcare services.

We saw many examples of positive and caring interactions between the staff and people living in the service. People were able to express their views and staff listened to what they said and took action to ensure their decisions were acted on. Staff protected people’s privacy and dignity.

People received care that was personalised and responsive to their needs. The service listened to people’s experiences, concerns and complaints. Staff took steps to investigate complaints and to make any changes needed.

The organisation and the deputy manager were supporting the manager while they settled in. People using the service, and the staff told us that the manager had made a good first impression, was open and had good management skills. There were systems in place to monitor the quality of service offered people.

Further information is in the detailed findings below