Merrifield House Residential Care Home

Updated 16 February 2022

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 care homes with outbreaks of COVID-19, we are conducting reviews to ensure that the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practice is safe and that services are compliant with IPC measures. This was a targeted inspection looking at the IPC practices the provider has in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.

This inspection took place on 28 January 2022 and was unannounced.

Updated 16 February 2022

About the service

Merrifield House is a residential care home providing personal care to 41 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 62 people across three separate units.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People play an active role in the running of the Care Home. Person Centred Care is the foundation of their strategy. Systems and processes were in place to ensure people were protected from abuse. Risks were well managed. All the people we spoke with told us they felt Merrifield House provided a safe environment. All staff spoken to were committed to non-discriminatory practices and throughout our discussions, all identified a commitment to providing good quality care, based on knowledge and the sharing of good practice. Inspectors found the service to be very clean. People received their medicines from staff who were trained to do so, and medicines were stored safely.

People's needs were assessed thoroughly and in good detail. Peoples desired outcomes and wishes were recorded and cross referenced into the care plans. Staff received an induction and ongoing training. People were supported to receive the nutrition and hydration they needed to stay healthy. Observations of the dining experience during the inspection was positive. People were supported to access a wide range of healthcare support. The service was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA). 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.

Merrifield house facilitates placements to students from the local College, University and schools. Staff welcome and support volunteers of all backgrounds, experiences and ages. People have been involved with environmental improvements to support visual stimulation. Inspectors observed information about the importance of hydration displayed within the service. Staff told us people were informed about their own hydration needs. There were suitable numbers of staff, who were recruited safely and in line with current legislation. Staff had been trained to meet people's needs and consent to care was sought and recorded.

People were clearly at the heart of the service. The service encouraged people to make decisions in the day to day operations. People were free to voice their opinions. People participated in meal planning groups and interviews of new staff. People were involved in their care. The service was extremely well led by managers who were dedicated to providing a service which was responsive to need. People’s views were listened to and acted upon. In the development of the service, people and their relatives had been involved in forums to improve the care for those people with dementia. The service had strong links with the village and local community. The wider community had been invited to regular events.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection: The last rating for this service was Good (published 19th June 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.