We carried out a review of the data available to us about Doddlespool Hall Care 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 Doddlespool Hall Care Home, you can give feedback on this service.
Doddlespool Hall Care Home is a residential care home providing personal care to 24 older people some of whom were living with dementia at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 25 people. Doddlespool Hall Care Home is a two-storey building set in large gardens.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
This was a targeted inspection that considered how the accidents and incidents were managed and infection control policies and practices. During our inspection we found no concerns in relation to these areas and we found the following examples of good practice.
People were supported by safely by staff following accidents and incidents. People and those important to them were kept informed following accidents and incidents. People had timely access to external professionals, where required following accidents and incidents. The registered manager reviewed all accidents and incidents and took action to reduce future risk to people.
People were supported by trained staff and in line with government COVID-19 guidance. People were supported to keep in touch with those important to them by staff in a variety of innovative ways. Staff supported people to remain well where they were unable to have entertainment into the home by hosting a Christmas show.
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 16 September 2019). As this inspection only considered the key question of ‘Safe’ we have not made any changes to this rating.
Why we inspected
We undertook this targeted inspection to check on concerns that were raised with us about a specific incident at the home. The overall rating for the service has not changed following this targeted inspection and remains good.
CQC have introduced targeted inspections to check specific concerns. They do not look at an entire key question, only the part of the key question we are specifically concerned about. Targeted inspections do not change the rating from the previous inspection. This is because they do not assess all areas of a key question.
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.
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.
Doddlespool Hall Care Home is a large two storey detached building in its own grounds. The home provides care and accommodation for up to 25 older people and people living with dementia or disabilities. The home is at the edge of a small village. There are large gardens surrounding the home with parking available. At the time of the inspection 19 people lived in the home.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were safe and protected from abuse because staff assessed and managed risk. There were enough staff to meet people’s care and support needs. Staff were recruited safely. People received their medicines as they needed. The home was clean and maintained and staff practised good infection control.
The design of the home met the needs of people who were resident at Doddlespool Hall Care Home. The management team had started researching best practice guidance to develop the environment so it was more dementia friendly. People were helped 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. Staff assessed people's capacity to make decisions and supported them with decision making. People said they were able to see healthcare professionals promptly to assist their health and wellbeing. Staff supported people to eat and drink and were familiar with people’s dietary needs. People said they enjoyed the food. Staff had been appropriately trained and supported and had the skills, knowledge and experience to provide good care.
People said they were involved in planning their care and encouraged to make decisions. Staff provided care that met people’s different needs and preferences. People said they were happy with their care and were treated with respect and consideration.
Staff had assessed people’s specific communication needs and were familiar with the ways they communicated. People were able to get involved in a variety of activities. Staff encouraged people to tell them about any concerns or complaints. People felt these were dealt with effectively. Staff supported people when at the end of life, to have a comfortable, pain free and peaceful end.
People said the management team asked them for their views and comments. They told us staff listened to and acted on these. Staff worked in partnership with other services and organisations to make sure they followed good practice and people in their care were safe. The management team monitored and audited the service to check on the quality and make sure staff were providing good care. They understood and acted on legal obligations, including conditions of CQC registration and those of other organisations.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection:
At the last inspection the service was rated good (published 17 March 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection.
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.
Doddlespool Hall Care Home is registered to provide accommodation with personal care for up to a maximum of 27 people. There were 20 people living at the home at the time of our inspection, some of whom were living with dementia.
There was no registered manager in post at the time of our inspection. The service is required to have a registered manager. During our inspection, we met with the home manager who had applied to become registered manager of the service. 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 protected from the risk of harm by staff who were able to recognise signs of abuse and knew how to report concerns. The provider had safe recruitment procedures to ensure staff were suitable to work with people living at the home. There were enough staff to safely meet people’s needs in a timely manner.
People felt safe living at the home as staff were always available to support them when needed. Risks to people’s health and wellbeing had been assessed and staff took action to minimise these. Accidents and incidents were monitored and reviewed to identify if there were any patterns or trends.
People received support to take their medicines safely. Medicine was stored securely and accurate records were maintained. Only staff who had received training to administer medicines safely gave people their medicines. Staff monitored people’s health and arranged healthcare appointments as necessary. Staff followed advice provided by healthcare professionals to promote good health.
People were confident staff had the skills and knowledge to meet their needs. Staff received training and support to meet people’s individual needs.
People were complimentary about the choice and quality of food provided to them. Staff monitored what people ate and drank and contacted other professional for advice when they had any concerns about people’s diets.
People spoke highly about the care and attention provided by staff. People were given choice and felt listened to. Staff treated people with dignity and respect and promoted their independence. Staff knew people well and used their knowledge of people’s past and families to engage in conversation with them. People had access to a range of activities which they enjoyed taking part in. People and their families felt there was a warm and welcoming atmosphere at the home.
People had not had cause to complain but felt confident and able to talk with staff if they had any concerns. The provider had a clear complaints process that was displayed at the home.
The manager provided effective leadership and ensured there was an open and caring culture in the home. People and their relatives were given opportunities to express their views about the development of the service and were kept well informed.
The provider had systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service and used the information gathered to make improvements.