6 February 2020
During a routine inspection
Albemarle Court Nursing Home is residential care home which provides accommodation for up to 31 people who require nursing or personal care. At the time of the inspection 30 people were living at the home.
People’s experience of using this service:
People were kept safe from harm. However, the records used to record how risks to people’s safety were monitored were not always fully completed. Fire equipment safety checks had not been completed for two months prior to the inspection. People were cared for by enough staff to keep them safe. People’s medicines were, overall, safely managed. The home was clean and tidy, and staff understood how to reduce the risk of the spread of infection. Processes were in place that ensured causes of accidents and incidents were investigated and measures put in place to reduce recurrence.
People’s needs were assessed, and care records formed to guide staff on how to care for people. Current best practice guidance and legislation was not always consistently used to help inform care planning. Staff were well trained and experienced and understood how to care for people safely and effectively. People were supported to maintain a healthy and balanced diet, although fluid intake charts were not always fully completed. Where people received care from other agencies as well as this service, the two worked together to provide timely and consistent care.
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 supported this practice.
People received care from kind and caring staff. People liked the staff and felt able to make decisions about their care. Staff always acted on people’s wishes. People received personal care in a dignified way. People’s privacy was respected although private space in the home was limited. Staff ensured people’s records were stored in a way that protected their privacy. Not all staff had completed data protection training.
People’s personal choices and preferences were always considered and acted on when care was provided. Care records were thorough and informed staff of people’s preferred way for care to be provided. Some of these records required archiving to ensure people continued to receive care in their preferred way. People were provided with opportunities to avoid social insolation by meeting others and to take part in activities. People felt able to make a complaint and were confident their complaint would be acted on. End of life care planning was in place.
Robust quality assurance processes helped the provider to assess any risks to people’s safety. A more thorough approach to the reviewing of people’s risk assessments would help to reduce this risk further. People and staff all praised the approach of the registered manager and director, who they found approachable. The registered manager and director had a good understanding and knowledge of the regulatory requirements to report concerns to the CQC. People’s views were requested and acted on to aid the development and continued improvement 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 11 August 2017).
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.