Apna Ghar Residential Home

Updated 15 March 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 one inspector.

Service and service type

Apna Ghar Residential Home 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. Apna Ghar Residential Home 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 who was also the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider..

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small and people are often out and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

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 spoke with 2 people and one relative about the care they received. We spoke with 3 staff members which included the provider, manager and care staff.

We reviewed documentation in relation to 1 person, 1 staff recruitment files, medicines records and other documentation relating to the service.

Updated 15 March 2023

About the service

Apna Ghar Residential home is a residential care home providing personal care to up to 3 people. The service provides support to people from ethnic minorities with their mental health. At the time of our inspection there were 2 people using the service.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

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

Risks to people had not been assessed and mitigated, for example exposed radiators or if window restrictors were required. Risks to the use of oxygen had not been assessed or mitigated. Some people could display high levels of anxiety, there was no guidance in place to inform staff how best to support the person during times of distress. When incidents occurred de-briefs with staff and learning was not always shared. Staff did not always have the training, skills and experience needed to de-escalate people’s distress. Staff recruitment processes were not always robust.

Medicines management was not always safe. Medicine stock did not match the numbers indicated on the medicine administration records. Staff had not completed medicine competencies.

The provider had not completed any checks or audits on the service to seek to improve it or identify any areas for improvement. There was a lack of oversight in relation to medicines management, recruitment, training and risk management.

Staff understood their requirement to protect people from the risk of abuse. The service was clean and well maintained. Staff had received training in infection control.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported /did them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service did not always support this practice.

The provider had not engaged in any forums to share knowledge or provide joined up care for people. However, people had been supported to attend healthcare appointments such as visiting the GP and dentist.

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

We undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe, effective and well-led only. For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 8 June 2018).

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

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.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

The overall rating for the service has changed from good to requires improvement based on the findings of this inspection. We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the safe, effective and well-led sections of this report.

You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this report.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Apna Ghar Residential Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Enforcement and Recommendations

We have identified breaches in relation to medicines, risk management, recruitment and good governance this inspection.

Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.