Charlotte Straker House

Updated 19 November 2020

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.

As part of CQC’s response to the coronavirus pandemic we are conducting a thematic review of infection control and prevention measures in care homes. The service was selected to take part in this thematic review which is seeking to identify examples of good practice in infection prevention and control.

This inspection took place on 15 October 2020 and was announced.

Updated 19 November 2020

This inspection took place on 7 December 2018 and was unannounced.

At our last comprehensive inspection in June 2016 we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good apart from the well-led domain which exceeded the fundamental standards.

At this inspection we found the service was good.

Charlotte Straker House is a care home that provides accommodation and nursing and personal care for a maximum of 31 older people, some whom may live with dementia.

People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. The service accommodated 30 people at the time of the inspection.

A registered manager was in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The provider's vision and values were person-centred to make sure people were at the heart of the service. This vision was driven by the exceptional leadership of the registered manager and board members

A chair person was responsible for the overall decision making together with board members within the organisation. They supported the management team and represented their views during board meetings.

The board members and registered manager had a clear vision for the organisation and service which put people at the heart of it. Staff were very well-supported by the management team. Staff were highly skilled and knowledgeable about each person they cared for and they were extremely committed to making a positive difference to each person. They were enthusiastic and believed passionately in the ethos of the service.

People were extremely well-cared for, relaxed and comfortable. Staff knew the people they were supporting very well and we observed that care was provided with great patience and kindness. The service went to great lengths to ensure people's privacy and dignity were always respected. Everyone we spoke with complimented and praised the staff team and gave examples of the outstanding care that was delivered.

There was clear evidence of collaborative working and excellent communication with other professionals to help meet people’s needs and maintain their independence wherever possible. The service was very flexible and adapted to people's changing needs and desires, enabling positive outcomes for all people. Records were well-personalised, up-to-date and accurately reflected people's care and support needs. Care was completely centred and tailored to each individual. Risk assessments were in place and they identified current risks to the person as well as ways for staff to minimise or appropriately manage those risks.

Staff were encouraged to continue their professional development in order to progress and provide the best outcomes for people. There were enough staff available to provide individual care and support to each person. Staff demonstrated that they understood the importance and benefits of providing person-centred care

People enjoyed a varied diet. They 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.

The staff team demonstrated a high level of responsiveness to people's individual care and support needs. People were appropriately supported in maintaining their health and they received their medicines in a safe way. They were provided with many opportunities to follow their interests and hobbies. They were all supported to be part of the local community. A wide range of therapeutic techniques were used to enhance people's well-being and provide stimulation.

There was a strong ethos for quality care which ran throughout the location. All stakeholders had input into the running of the home, their feedback was valued and used to drive forward quality service provision. People, relatives and staff were proud of being part of the home and its positive and uplifting culture. Systems and processes were extremely robust and effective ensuring that quality standards were met and exceeded. The provider was proactive in working with external stakeholders, sharing information and examples of good practice, to develop the service and support.

The service consistently strived to ensure that people had the best possible care, and that they were supported in a compassionate, dignified and safe way. The service had forged successful partnerships with other stakeholders, was actively involved in research and aimed to provide an excellent care experience for people. The service referred to best practice guidelines to formulate the type and style of care provided for people.

People using the service, their relatives and staff were confident about approaching the registered manager if they needed to. They were extremely complimentary about the provider, registered manager and the whole workforce. They recognised that their views were valued and respected by the provider who consistently used their feedback to support quality service development.