Westside Nursing Home

Updated 26 March 2022

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This included checking the provider was meeting COVID-19 vaccination requirements. 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

One inspector completed a site visit and one inspector made telephone calls to relatives and staff to seek their feedback.

Service and service type

Westside 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.

The service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that the provider is legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

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 professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with two people who used the service and six relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with four care staff, one nursing staff and the manager. We spent time observing the care people received this helped us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us. We reviewed a range of records. This included four people's care records and their medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the manager to validate evidence found.

Updated 26 March 2022

About the service

Westside Care Home is a care home providing personal and nursing care to up to 26 people. At the time of our inspection there were 23 people using the service. The service has two floors with spacious communal areas.

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

The risks to people’s health were not always clearly documented, assessed or managed. People’s records were not always detailed or legible. This increased risk of people not being supported safely.

Some areas of the home, including bedrooms and bathrooms were not kept clean and hygienic. Some equipment used to support people was dirty. Staff did not always follow the infection prevention policy and current relevant national guidance. This meant people and staff were not consistently protected from infections.

The management of the service did not have effective measures in place to identify shortfalls in infection prevention control and care planning.

Staff knew how to raise concerns about people’s safety and there was a process in place to report any safeguarding issues. People's medicines were managed safely. Staff were recruited safely and had the training and experience they required to support people. Staff supported people to access health care professionals when required.

Staff worked closely with external professionals to ensure people received appropriate support with physical and mental health.

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 requires improvement (published 22 November 2019). The service remains rated requires improvement. This service has been rated requires improvement for the last two consecutive inspections.

Why we inspected

We received information of concern about infection prevention and control measures at this service.

We inspected and found there was a concern with infection prevention and control procedures and oversight at the service, so we widened the scope of the inspection to become a focused inspection which included the key questions of safe and well-led.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvement. Please see the safe and well-led sections of this report.

You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Westside Nursing Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Enforcement

We are mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when considering what enforcement action was necessary and proportionate to keep people safe as a result of this inspection. We will continue to monitor the service and will take further action if needed.

Full information about CQC’s regulatory response to the more serious concerns found during inspections is added to reports after any representations and appeals have been concluded.

Follow up

We will meet with the provider following this report being published to discuss how they will make changes to ensure they improve their rating to at least good. We will work with the local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.