We carried out a review of the data available to us about Wansbeck Care Home on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Wansbeck Care Home, you can give feedback on this service.
Wansbeck Care Home is registered to provide accommodation and personal care to a maximum of 40 older people, including people who live with dementia. At the time of the inspection there were 33 people living at the home.
People's experience of using this service and what we found
Systems and processes for identifying patterns and trends were in place. These had not always been used well enough, meaning patterns and trends had not always been identified. We have made a recommendation about this.
Care planning and risk assessments were in place but had not always been reviewed meaningfully. Some daily records were not person-centred or easily accessible. We have made a recommendation about this.
The registered manager needed to review their understanding and application of the duty of candour. We have made a recommendation about this.
The provider had plans in place to improve the review and storage of records.
The provider had identified areas for improvement, prior to our inspection visit, and had begun to implement changes and improvements.
People felt well supported and safe. Staff helped people promptly when they needed. Relatives had confidence in the ability of staff to keep their loved ones safe.
The environment was clean. The provider had made improvements to the safety of the environment in response to visits from external agencies. They had plans in place to complete more refurbishment.
Medicines administration was safe. Staff were trained, supervised and had their competence regularly assessed. Records were clear and stock checks and audits ensured the risks of errors were reduced. The provider had acted on the advice and support of external specialists.
There were sufficient staff to keep people safe. The provider had recruited more staff recently and reduced reliance on agency staff.
People were kept safe. The provider had relevant policies and procedures in place to reduce the risk of abuse. Staff reacted promptly to individual incidents and concerns.
Staff were recruited safely and felt they could raise concerns if they needed to.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and to live in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
Staff knew people well and wanted them to receive good quality care.
The provider had made a range of recent improvements to the safety of the building, including new locks and redecoration work. They had further refurbishment planned.
The provider worked well with external professionals.
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 good (published 25 May 2021).
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service. We undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only.
For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Wansbeck Care Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. 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.
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 and Recommendations
We have made recommendations that the provider: reviews and improves the person-centred nature of care plans, risks assessments and their reviews; reviews the effectiveness of its quality assurance measures in place, and; reviews their understanding of the duty of candour.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our reinspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
Wansbeck Care Home is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care for up to 40 people some of whom are living with a dementia related condition. At the time of our inspection 26 people were resident at the home. The home is separated into four units across two floors.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People told us they were very happy living at Wansbeck Care Home and felt very safe. This was supported by the relatives we spoke with. People were treated with respect and kindness. Staff supported people to maintain their independence and dignity.
Relatives and staff told us improvements had been made since the last inspection. Infection prevention and control procedures had improved, however. we signposted the registered manager to the local infection prevention and control team for some additional guidance and support. Risk assessments were completed, and medicines were managed safely. Lessons had been learned in respect of any safeguarding concerns and in response to the last inspection.
Peoples needs were assessed, and care plans developed to ensure needs were met in a safe way. Staff supported people to access healthcare and maintain their physical and emotional well-being. 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 and relatives were complimentary of the staff team and the approach of the registered manager and felt the home was well managed. Staff said they felt supported and found the management team to be approachable. Since the last inspection quality assurance systems had improved and staff were being supported with the implementation to ensure the quality of the service continued to improve.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection (and update)
The service was registered was us on 01 June 2020 and the last inspection was a focused inspection of safe and well-led only. The rating for these domains was requires improvement (published 21 January 2021). We identified a breach of regulation related to infection prevention and control and issued a warning notice. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.
Why we inspected
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.
This inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection. We had also received concerns in relation to hydration and infection prevention control.
We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern. Please see the safe and effective sections of this full report.
The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Wansbeck Care Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
Wansbeck Care Home is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to up to 40 older people some of whom are living with a dementia related condition. At the time of our inspection 34 people were living at the home. The home is separated into four units across two floors.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were not always protected from the risk of harm. Infection prevention and control procedures did not follow government guidance. People were receiving medicines as prescribed but some records for ‘as required’ medicines were not fully completed.
Systems were in place to safeguard people from the risk of abuse. We observed there were enough staff available to meet people’s needs and staff were recruited safely.
We have made a recommendation about the governance of the service. Quality monitoring systems had failed to identify the shortfalls in infection control practices we observed. The provider was committed to delivering service improvements.
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 good (published 31 January 2020).
Why we inspected
We undertook this targeted inspection to follow up on specific concerns which we had received about the infection control practices of staff. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.
We inspected and found there was a concern with infection control practices, so we widened the scope of the inspection to become a focused inspection which included the key questions of safe and well-led.
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 discharge our regulatory enforcement functions required to keep people safe and to hold providers to account where it is necessary for us to do so.
We have identified breaches in relation to safe care and treatment at this inspection. In particular, with infection control practices.
Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.
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 request an action plan for 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 return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.