Stella House Residential Care Home

Updated 30 October 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.

This comprehensive inspection took place on 9 October 2018 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of two adult social care inspectors, and an expert-by-experience. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. The expert-by-experience had experience in caring for older people and people living with dementia.

Before our inspection we reviewed all the information we held about the service. This included any statutory notifications that had been sent to us. Before the inspection, the provider is sometimes asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). We asked the provider to complete one for this inspection. This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We contacted the local authority and Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England.

During this inspection we spoke with six people living at Stella House and four of their relatives. We spoke with nine members of staff. This included four care assistants, one team leader, the cook, the area manager, the deputy manager and the registered manager.

We looked at three people's care records, four medication administration records and five staff files. We looked at other records relating to the management of the home and the quality of the service provided. This included quality assurance audits and training and supervision records.

We asked the registered manager to send us a range of documents following the inspection. The documents were all provided within the timescales requested.

We spent time observing the daily life in the service, including the care and support being delivered by staff. We walked around the home and looked in the communal areas, including the bathrooms, the lounges and the dining area. With their permission we also looked in people's bedrooms.

Updated 30 October 2018

This inspection took place on 9 October 2018 and was unannounced. This meant no-one at the service knew we were planning to visit. At the last inspection in August 2018 the service was rated ‘Requires Improvement’.

Stella House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a 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.

Stella House is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 40 people. There were 36 people living there at the time of our inspection including five people staying on a temporary basis.

There was a registered manager at the service at the time of our 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.

People told us they felt safe. There were enough staff available to meet people's needs in a timely way and to keep people safe. Procedures for recruiting staff were safe.

Staff understood what it meant to protect people from abuse. They told us they were confident the management team would take any concerns they raised seriously. The registered manager made appropriate referrals to the local safeguarding authority when this was necessary.

Medicines were stored safely and securely, and procedures were in place to ensure people received their medicines as prescribed.

Staff received a range of training which the provider considered to be mandatory. Staff told us they were happy with the training they received and felt it supported them to do their roles. People living at Stella House told us the staff were well trained.

People told us the staff were kind and caring. During this inspection we observed the staff treat people with kindness, dignity and respect.

Staff were supervised and observed regularly by the management team, staff also received an annual appraisal. We saw evidence of this in the staff files in the home.

People were asked for consent before care was provided to them. Where people lacked capacity to make certain decisions for themselves, their care records contained evidence that decisions had been made in their best interests. People were supported to have maximum choice and control over their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The service worked closely with community health professionals to support people with their health needs. People’s care records evidenced they received medical attention when they needed it, to promote their health.

People’s needs were assessed when they moved into Stella House and detailed care plans were in place to guide staff in how to care for each person. Care plans were reviewed regularly to make sure people received the correct levels of care and support. Care plans contained details of people’s life histories and their likes and dislikes. This assisted staff to provide person centred care.

There were activities taking place at the time of our inspection. We saw details of ongoing activities within and outside the home.

People, their relatives and the staff all spoke highly of the registered manager. Staff told us they could always approach the registered manager if they needed support or if they had any concerns. The registered manager, the deputy managers and the provider completed regular audits of the service to make sure action was taken and lessons learned when things went wrong. This meant systems were in place to support the continuous improvement of the service.

We spoke to the registered manager and provider in relation to the environment. Work had started on purchasing new furniture in the home at the time of inspection. The area manager told us they had plans in place for 2019 to look at replacing carpets and redecoration.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.