Norwood House

Updated 18 May 2023

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by two inspectors and a specialist professional advisor in dementia care.

Service and service type

Norwood House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Norwood House is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations. At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spent time observing the interactions between people and staff in communal areas, in order to help us understand people's experiences. We reviewed 6 peoples care plans. We also looked at medication records and three staff files in relation to recruitment. We reviewed accident, incident and safeguarding processes and a variety of records relating to the management of the service. This included provider improvement/action plans. We also spoke with 3 people, a relative, and 3 staff, After the inspection visit, we received feedback from 9 relatives, 10 staff and 2 healthcare professionals.

Updated 18 May 2023

About the service

Norwood House is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care up to 71 people aged 65 and over in one adapted building. Norwood House provides care to older people living with dementia and at the time of the inspection there were 32 people using the service. The service was situated in a rural area of Middleton Moor on the periphery of the village of Saxmundham in Suffolk.

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

People and staff told us that the service had improved since our previous inspection. A system of audits by both the registered manager and provider had been implemented. These had resulted in improvements in the quality of service provided. These now needed to be used to demonstrate sustained improvement in the quality of the service provided.

Feedback from people and relatives was actively sought and acted upon.

People felt safe living at Norwood House and where risks to people had been identified there was guidance in place for staff. Staff were able to tell us how they kept people safe and had a good knowledge of how to identify and report any potential safeguarding concerns.

Relatives were satisfied with the number of staff available to support their family member. Some staff raised concerns regarding the pressures on them during their shift. Staff told us that they now received effective training for their role.

An electronic care planning system had been implemented. Care records were up to date, and person centred. The registered manager was working with staff to make further improvement to the records.

People were usually 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 this practice. Staff had a good knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act but we were not assured that this was always put into practice.

Improvements had been made to the environment and there were plans to further improve some areas.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 30 December 2022) and there were breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection of this service on 30 December 2022. Breaches of legal requirements were found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. This inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect