Cheaney Court Care Home

We found the following examples of good practice.

Staff had received training in the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). We saw this was accessible throughout the home and staff used it in accordance with the most up to date guidance.

The infection control policy was up to date. We reviewed audits which reflected actions had been taken to maintain the standards within the home.

There was a clear process for visitors, which included a risk assessment, COVID-19 screening, temperature check and the wearing of PPE.

Cleaning schedules had been increased to ensure high touch surfaces were cleaned regularly and additional cleaning to maintain good hygiene standards.

There was a clear procedure in place, in line with national guidance to ensure people were admitted to the service safely.

People living in the service and staff were being tested for COVID-19 in line with national guidance.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

Cheaney Court Care Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Cheaney Court Care Home provides accommodation and personal care including nursing care. The location is registered to provide care for up to 65 people including older people and people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection, 63 people were in residence at the home.

At our last inspection in November 2016, the service was rated overall as requires improvement. At this inspection, improvements had been made and sustained and the service is now rated overall as good.

There was a registered manager in post. 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 safeguarded from harm as the provider had effective systems in place to prevent, recognise and report concerns to the relevant authorities. Staff knew how to recognise harm and were knowledgeable about the steps they should take if they were concerned that someone may be at risk.

Staff knew their responsibilities as defined by the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA 2005) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and had applied that knowledge appropriately. Staff understood the importance of obtaining people's consent when supporting them with their daily living needs.

People experienced caring relationships with staff and good interaction was evident, as staff took time to listen and understand what people needed.

There were sufficient numbers of experienced staff that were supported to carry out their roles to meet the assessed needs of people living at the home. Staff received training in areas that enabled them to understand and meet the care needs of each person. Recruitment procedures protected people from receiving unsafe care from care staff unsuited to the role.

People's care and support needs were monitored and reviewed to ensure that care was provided in the way that they needed. People or their representative had been involved in planning and reviewing their care and plans of care were in place to guide staff in delivering their care and support.

People's health and well-being was monitored by staff and they were supported to access health professionals in a timely manner when they needed to. People were supported to have sufficient amounts to eat and drink to maintain a balanced diet.

People were supported to take their medicines as prescribed. Medicines were obtained, stored, administered and disposed of safely. People were supported to maintain good health and had access to healthcare services when needed.

People's needs were met in line with their individual care plans and assessed needs. Staff took time to get to know people and ensured that people's care was tailored to their individual needs.

Staff responded to complaints promptly and in line with the provider's policy. Staff and people were confident that issues would be addressed and that any concerns they had would be listened to and acted upon.

People were supported by a team of staff that had the managerial guidance and support they needed to carry out their roles. The quality of the service was monitored through the regular audits carried out by the management team and provider.

The service was well run by a registered manager who had the skills and experience to run the home so people received high quality person-centred care. The registered manager led a team of staff who shared their commitment to high standards of care and clear vision of the type of home they hoped to create for people.

The service is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 65 older people. The people living in the home have a range of needs including people living with dementia, sensory impairments and physical disabilities. The service provides both respite and long term care. At the time of our inspection there were 56 people living there.

The service has a registered manager. 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 received care from staff who were kind and friendly but who were at times focussed on the tasks they needed to perform and did not interact with people as often as they could do. People’s dignity was not always respected.

The provider had limited oversight of the home and needed to ensure that systems in place to monitor the quality of the service took account of people’s experiences.

Staff received supervision but the frequency of the supervision varied and not all staff had had an appraisal. Staff understood the need to undertake specific assessments if people lacked capacity to consent to their care and / or their day to day routines.

People’s health care and nutritional needs were carefully considered and relevant health care professionals were appropriately involved in people’s care. Care plans detailed people’s individual needs, preferences and choices and information was available about people’s past history. There was an activities programme in place which people took part in individually or in a group.

There were appropriate recruitment processes in place and people felt safe in the home. Staff understood their responsibilities to safeguard people and knew how to respond if they had any concerns.

People’s needs were assessed prior to coming to the home and care plans were in place and were kept under review. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of each person’s needs and relatives felt involved and were encouraged to support their family member in any way they could.

The registered manager was visible and open to feedback, actively looking at ways to improve and develop the service.