Thornlea Rest Home

Updated 14 June 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Thornlea is a ‘care home.’ People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, both of which we looked at during this inspection.

This inspection took place on 11 April 2018 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of an adult social care inspector.

Before our unannounced inspection, we checked the information we held about Thornlea. This included notifications the provider sent us about incidents that affect the health, safety and welfare of people who lived at the home. We also contacted other health and social care organisations such as the commissioning department at the local authority and Healthwatch Blackpool. Healthwatch Blackpool is an independent consumer champion for health and social care. This helped us to gain a balanced overview of what people experienced living at Thornlea.

Furthermore, we looked at the Provider Information Return (PIR) the provider had sent us. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

Additionally, we spoke with a range of individuals about this home. They included four people who lived at Thornlea and four relatives. We further discussed care with two members of the management team and three employees.

We observed care and support in communal areas and looked around the building to check environmental safety and cleanliness. This enabled us to determine if people received the care and support they needed in an appropriate environment.

We examined care records of three people who lived at the home. This process is called pathway tracking and enables us to judge how well Thornlea understands and plans to meet people's care needs and manage any risks to people's health and wellbeing. We checked documents in relation to two staff members. We also looked at records about staff training and support, as well as those related to the management and safety of Thornlea.

Updated 14 June 2018

Thornlea delivers care and support for a maximum of 17 older people. At the time of our inspection, 17 people lived at the home. Thornlea is a bungalow, situated on a main road in the South Shore area of Blackpool. There are two lounges, a dining room and a rear garden with a decking area offering a range of seating. There are multiple aids and adaptations to meet the needs of people who live there.

At the last inspection on 04 November 2015, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of Good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

During this inspection visit, people we spoke with said they felt safe and comfortable living at the home. Thornlea was clean and well-maintained and care records we reviewed included risk assessments intended to enhance everyone’s safety and welfare. Staff had training to protect people against the risk of harm, poor care and abuse.

We observed staff ensured people received their medicines on time and concentrated on one person at a time. Evidence in staff files confirmed employees who administered medicines completed relevant training to protect individuals from unsafe management of medication.

The provider followed their recruitment policy to protect people from unsuitable staff. Records we reviewed evidenced there were sufficient numbers and skill mixes of staff to meet each person’s requirements. Staff undertook a variety of training courses to underpin their duties. A relative said, “There are lots of staff on duty and they all seem well trained.”

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice. When we discussed choice, consent and freedom with people and relatives, they told us they felt in control of their lives.

Staff frequently provided fluids to maintain people’s hydration levels. We observed they offered a choice of food at meal times and checked each person had sufficient to eat. A relative commented, “The food is very nice.”

We observed staff engaged with those who lived at Thornlea and their relatives with a cheerful and friendly approach. People were smiling and relaxed throughout our inspection, which demonstrated strong bonds with those who supported them. A relative commented, “The staff are A1, top notch. They’re so lovely.”

Care records we looked at showed the management team engaged people and their relatives in the development of their care plans. People and relatives told us staff involved them in all aspects of their care, including the review and update of treatment.

The provider had worked with the local hospice to ensure staff received accredited training in end of life care provision. Staff monitored each person’s general health, through a coding system, to ensure the provision of additional support if the person started to deteriorate.

Staff discussed and agreed what support people required and established a care plan to meet their needs. We found records were person-centred because assessments and documentation were geared towards the individual’s abilities and preferences.

The management team conducted and completed a variety of processes to check quality assurance and people’s experiences of living at Thornlea. These included multiple audits to retain oversight of everyone’s safety and welfare. People and relatives told us Thornlea’s management team were supportive, approachable and led the home well.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.