14 April 2022
During a routine inspection
Old Shenfield Place is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care for up to 31 people. The service provides support to disabled people and older people some of whom may be living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 26 people using the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The service was not always well led. The quality assurance processes were not robust, and the registered manager did not always have complete oversight of the service. Harm to people was not always reported to the relevant authorities.
Staff were not always employed safely as not all information was obtained during the recruitment process.
We made a recommendation the provider look at their staff recruitment processes.
There were enough staff to support the service, however rota arrangements needed to take into account when people went out.
We made a recommendation the provider consider their staffing arrangements
Risks to people had been assessed and recorded. The service was clean and infection control guidelines were being followed. People received their medicines safely.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People were supported with their health needs and to eat and drink well. Staff were well trained and received support and supervision.
People were supported to take part in activities and to maintain relationships and social interactions with others. Staff worked hard to ensure people felt included and supported. There was a complaints system in place for people if they needed to raise concerns. Staff were trained to care for people at the end of their life.
The culture and atmosphere in the service was open, inclusive and respectful and there was a consistent staff team. People were involved in their care and there was good liaison with health and social care professionals
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Why we inspected
This service was registered with us on 22 August 2019 and this is the first comprehensive inspection giving the service a rating.
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.
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.
We have identified a breach in relation to the oversight of the service at this inspection. Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.
Follow up
We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.