Gildawood Court

Updated 27 August 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 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

The inspection was carried out by three inspectors and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Gildawood Court is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Gildawood Court is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from professionals and partner agencies who work with the service such as Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used information gathered as part of monitoring activity that took place on 1 June 2022 to help plan the inspection and inform our judgements. 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 six people and seven relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with eleven members of staff including three care assistants, one senior care assistants, the chef, a domestic member of staff, the well-being co-ordinator, the deputy manager, the compliance officer, the compliance manager and the registered manager. We also spoke to two healthcare professionals. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We reviewed a range of records. This included five people’s care records and three people’s medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were also reviewed.

Updated 27 August 2022

About the service

Gildawood Court is a care home, providing personal care and accommodation to up to 60 people. It provides care to older people, some of which are living with dementia. Care is provided across three units, however at the time of our visit, only two units were open. Each unit had its own lounge, garden and dining area with a kitchenette. There was also a large communal dining room. At the time of our inspection 34 people lived at the home.

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

Risk’s to people’s health and well-being had been identified and assessed. However, it wasn’t always clear what immediate actions had been taken to ensure people’s safety with risks associated with their health. Systems were in place to ensure people received their medicines as prescribed. However, some improvements were needed to ensure medicines were always administered safely.

People and relatives were happy with the care provided and the way the home was managed. There was a relaxed atmosphere in the home where we saw many warm and thoughtful interactions between staff and people. People told us they felt safe and protected from the risk of abuse. Records contained information which enabled staff to deliver care in a person-centred way. Staff encouraged people to maintain their independence and make choices about the way in which their care was delivered.

Recruitment procedures were safe and there were enough staff to keep people safe. The provider’s training programme ensured staff had the right knowledge and skills to support and care for people well. People were encouraged to have a healthy and balanced diet. The food looked appetising and people were offered a choice of meal options. Some people required special adaptations in order to eat and drink safely which were known by staff.

People had access to healthcare services when they needed it. Referrals were made to specialists such as dieticians to improve people’s health outcomes and ensure they received targeted support for identified health needs. Daily handovers ensured key information related to people’s health and wellbeing was shared with the staff team.

Assessments were carried about before people moved into the home. Assessments included important information such as current medical conditions and care preferences which helped the registered manager ensure the home could meet the person’s needs.

Staff followed good infection control processes. However, there were some environmental concerns that did not promote good infection control processes. These had been identified by the registered manager and action was being taken to address these concerns following our visit.

People were encouraged to make their own decisions. 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.

Systems and processes monitored and improved the quality of care provided and regular checks were completed to ensure people received high quality care. Whilst quality checks had driven improvements in most areas, they had not always identified the shortfalls in some areas. The registered manager was committed to ensuring high quality care and took immediate action to address these issues.

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 3 March 2021).

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

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.

The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good based on the findings of this inspection.

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

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.