Jesmund Nursing Home

We found the following examples of good practice.

The provider had developed new ways of recording observations about people’s health which were shared with healthcare professionals in advance of appointments. This had reduced the need for external visitors to the home, and had facilitated smooth virtual consultations with healthcare professionals.

The provider was following best practice guidance in terms of ensuring visitors to the home did not introduce and spread COVID-19. They had a visitors’ code and visitors’ policy and family members of people who use the service were always kept in the loop and were sent regular emails and newsletters.

The provider had built a porch since the pandemic to perform visitor screening and for the visitors to wear PPE before entering the service. All visitors had to complete a visiting form on arrival, had their temperature checked and a COVID-19 lateral flow test before entering the service. This was to ensure the safety of staff and people. Information and instructions for visitors were clearly displayed and explained by the receptionist. Our observations during the inspection confirmed staff were adhering to PPE and social distancing guidance. People were supported to see their visitors in the garden, or when this was not possible people were supported to speak to their families on the phone or via video call.

To ensure the well-being of people the provider had employed an activities co-ordinator who regularly organised individualised and group activities. The co-ordinator also prepared newsletters which was circulated to family members.

The provider had a detailed admission process which included a telephone assessment with the hospital, risk assessment of the person to ensure they could meet their needs and video conferencing with the family members to show them the person’s room. All accepted people must have undertaken a COVID-19 swab test within the last 24-48 hours to be admitted into the service.

The provider had set-up donning and doffing personal protective equipment stations across the care home.

The provider had ensured staff who were more vulnerable to COVID-19 had been risk assessed and delegated tasks accordingly.

The provider had appointed an extra day nurse since the pandemic to help with COVID-19 testing of staff, people who use the service and visitors.

The provider had a staff appreciation board in the staff room in which they displayed all the positive feedback received from the people and their families to appreciate staff for their work.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

Jesmund Nursing 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 is registered to provide accommodation, nursing and personal care for up to 22 people. At the time of our inspection there were 20 people were living in the service.

The service had 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 continued to receive safe care and support. People’s risks were assessed and mitigated. Where people were at risk of pressure ulcers, timely referrals were made to healthcare professionals and the integrity of their skin was promoted. Care records were maintained and reviewed which detailed the support required and provided to protect areas vulnerable to pressure ulcers.

Staff were trained to safeguard people from abuse and improper treatment. The provider had a clear safeguarding procedure which staff understood. The provider vetted staff to ensure they were suitable to deliver care and support. People received medicines appropriately staff ensured that the environment and their practices were hygienic.

The service continued to be well led. The registered manager audited the quality of the service people received and made improvements to people’s care. The views of people, relatives and staff were gathered in order to shape the planning and delivery of care and support. The provider worked collaboratively with external organisations to meet people's needs.

This was the first inspection of regulated activity at Jesmund Nursing Home since a new provider took over the service in November 2017. Jesmund Nursing 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 is registered to provide accommodation, nursing and personal care for up to 22 people. At the time of our inspection there were 18 people were living in the service.

The service had 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 living in Jesmund Nursing Home were kept staff by staff who were trained to assess people’s risks and to protect them from abuse. Robust recruitment practices were in place to ensure staff were safe and suitable to deliver care. The registered manager ensured there were enough staff available to deliver care and support safely and at all times. Staff followed appropriate medicines, infection control and fire safety procedures.

Trained and supervised staff delivered care and support in line with people’s needs assessments. People received the support they required to eat and drink and to access healthcare services when required. The environment was adapted to meet people’s needs and staff treated people in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

People were treated with respect and dignity by a caring staff team. Staff and people knew each other well and shared warm relationships. People’s communication needs were supported and staff respected people’s privacy. Relatives were made to feel welcome when they visited the service and staff supported people to maintain contact with loved ones.

The service was developing electronic care records which were personalised and reflected people’s preferences. Staff were responsive to people’s changing needs and closely monitored these needs which were likely to change quickly such as pain and anxiety. The service made a range of activities available for people to participate in and supported people to access the community. People and their relatives had ready access to the provider’s clear complaints procedure.

The service had a new provider who had made a number of improvements to the care home. People, relatives and staff expressed confidence in both the provider and registered manager. The provider introduced robust checks across a range of areas to improve the quality of care and support people received. The views of people, relatives and staff were actively sought and used to shape service delivery. People benefited from the provider’s partnership working with other social care organisations.