The Devonshire Nursing Home

Updated 20 April 2021

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 COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at the preparedness of care homes in relation to infection prevention and control. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 7 April 2021 and was announced.

Updated 20 April 2021

This inspection took place on the 13 and 14 November 2018, the first day was unannounced.

The Devonshire Nursing Home 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 and both were looked at during this inspection.

The home is registered to provide nursing and personal care and accommodation for up to 42 older people and people with physical disabilities. At the time of the inspection there were 31 people living at the home. Some people had complex health care needs and required nursing care and support, including end of life care. Other people needed support with personal care and assistance moving around the home due to frailty or medical conditions, such as a stroke and, some people were living with dementia.

The registered manager was present during the inspection. 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.

At our last inspection in February and March 2016 we rated the service as good. Although we had asked the provider to make improvements in relation to safe moving and handling; to ensure staff followed current guidelines when assisting people to move around the home. At this inspection we found these improvements had been made and the evidence continued to support the rating of Good.

This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

An effective quality assurance and monitoring system was used to identify areas where improvements were needed and appropriate action had been taken to address them. For example, audits of the care plans showed that they had not consistently been reviewed each month. The registered manager and nurses had introduced ‘resident of the day’, so that all aspects of the person’s care and support provided was reviewed and updated as required.

People discussed and agreed the care provided with staff, who had a good understanding of people’s needs, preferences and choices. Risk had been assessed and people were supported to be as independent as possible in a safe way. The activities were varied and agreed with people through regular discussions, feedback surveys and resident’s meetings.

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.

From August 2016 all organisations that provide NHS care or adult social care are legally required to follow the Accessible Information Standard (AIS). The standard aims to make sure that people who have a disability, impairment or sensory loss are provided with information that they can easily read or understand so that they can communicate effectively. Systems had been developed to support people with sensory loss and staff assisted people to use glasses and hearing aids.

People said the food was very good; they were offered choices for each meal and staff provided assistane when required. Relatives and visitors were made to feel very welcome and people were supported to keep in touch with them.

People, their relatives, staff and professionals said the registered manager was very good, and felt the service was well-led. Feedback was sought to improve the quality of the service and residents meetings and surveys encouraged people and relatives to put forward suggestions for improvements.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.