Oliver House

Updated 3 November 2023

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.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by 1 inspector.

Service and service type

Oliver House 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. Oliver House is a care home with nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

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

Notice of inspection

The 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 the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We contacted Healthwatch for feedback. 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 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 3 people who used the service and 8 relatives of people who used the service. We spoke with 8 members of staff including the registered manager, administrator, nurses, care assistants, kitchen staff and housekeeping. 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 including 5 people's care records, medicine administration records and some records relating to the management of the service were also reviewed.

Updated 3 November 2023

About the service

Oliver House is a nursing care home providing personal and nursing care to up to 26 people. The service provides support to younger adults and older people, including those with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 22 people using the service. People are cared for over 2 floors, with communal spaces and a secure outdoor space.

People’s experience of the service and what we found

Since our last inspection, the provider had made significant improvements to the service. Medicines were now safely managed. Risk assessments were up to date and provided clear guidance on how to safely support people’s identified risks, such as diabetes or skin integrity concerns. The home was clean and well-maintained and checks were in place to ensure specialist equipment was fit for purpose. People felt safe using the service and able to raise concerns with staff. The registered manager and staff understood how to recognise, report and investigate potential abuse. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs. Accidents and incidents were reviewed and analysed so lessons could be learned when things went wrong.

Assessments of people’s needs were informed by nationally recognised tools and explored people’s diverse needs. Staff were suitably trained to carry out their roles and received ongoing support to remain skilled and competent. Staff worked well as a team and alongside relevant healthcare professionals, referring and following recommendations appropriately meaning people achieved good outcomes in relation to their health and 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.

Staff were kind and caring and considerate of people’s diverse needs. People’s needs, preferences and choices were well understood, and their privacy and dignity respected.

People received person-centred care, and staff knew people well. There were a variety of activities and engagements with the local community for people to get involved in. People and relatives felt able to raise complaints and that they would be dealt with by the provider. People were supported to make decisions about their preferences for end-of-life care.

Improvements had been made to the overall governance and quality assurance systems. The registered manager had effective oversight of risk within the home, completing regular audits and taking action to improve safety where identified. Feedback was encouraged and people, relatives and staff could share their views through surveys and meetings. There was an open and inclusive culture at the service which meant people received personalised care and good outcomes. The service had positive working relationships with a range of key stakeholders.

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 last rating for this service was Requires Improvement (published 19 July 2022) and there were breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvement had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

When we last inspected Oliver House on 3 May 2022 breaches of legal requirements were found. We undertook this inspection to check whether the warning notices we previously served in relation to regulation 12 (safe care and treatment) and regulation 17 (good governance) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 had been met. We also checked whether the provider had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements.

Follow Up

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