Currergate Nursing Home

Updated 2 November 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 inspection took place on 27 September 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 of older people’s care.

Before the inspection we reviewed information available to us about this service. We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also reviewed safeguarding alerts; share your experience forms and notifications that had been sent to us. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. We also spoke with the local authority Commissioning and safeguarding teams to gain their feedback about the service.

During the inspection we spoke with eight people who used the service, four relatives, five care workers, the activities co-ordinator, the chef, a nurse assistant, a nurse, the deputy manager and a support manager. We also spoke with the registered manager and provider. We spoke with three health and social care professionals who work with the service. We reviewed three care plans and other records relating to the management of the service such as training records and audits and checks.

Updated 2 November 2018

Currergate is a ‘nursing home’. People in nursing homes receive accommodation and nursing care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. In partnership with a local NHS Trust, Currergate also provides assessment beds in which people stay on a transitional basis following discharge from hospital before moving back to their own home or onto nursing and residential care.

The home is registered to accommodate up to 38 people at any one time. On the day of the inspection there were 31 people living in the home. This included 23 permanent residents, seven people using the assessment beds and one person on a respite stay.

The inspection took place on 27 September 2018 and was unannounced. At the last inspection in October 2016 we rated the service as ‘Good’ overall, but found a breach of regulation as staff training was not kept up-to-date. Following the last inspection we asked the provider to complete an action plan to show what they would do and by when to improve the key question ‘Is the service Effective? to at least good. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and staff training was now up-to-date.

At this inspection we found that overall the service had maintained its rating of Good. However the responsiveness of the service had deteriorated as care records were not always kept up-to-date and were not always subject to regular review. Whilst we did not identify this had a direct impact on people, it needed addressing to reduce the risk that inappropriate care would occur. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

Medicines were managed safely and people received their medicines consistently as prescribed. Staff knew people well and the risks that they were exposed to. People said they felt safe and systems were in place to help protect people from abuse. Overall there were enough staff deployed to ensure safe care. Staff were recruited safely to ensure they were of suitable character to work with vulnerable people. The premises was safely managed and fit for purpose.

People said staff provided effective care and had the right skills to care for them. Staff had received a range of training which was kept up-to-date. Staff said they felt well supported. People had sufficient choice and variety of food. The service was compliant with the legal framework of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The service worked effectively with other professionals to help meet people’s healthcare needs.

Staff were kind and caring and treated people well. We saw staff turnover was low which meant people and staff got to know each other well. The service promoted people’s independence and gave people choice and control over their lives.

People’s care needs were assessed prior to admission. People, relatives and health professionals said the service provided appropriate care. Staff knew the care people needed. Some care plans needed updating and other charts such as food and fluid charts needed regular reviewing by nursing staff. This had been identified by the registered manager and a plan was in place to address. People had access to a good range of activities and social opportunities.

People, relatives and staff said the service was well managed. They said the management team was visible and approachable should they need them. The service undertook a range of audits and checks. These had been effective in identifying areas for improvement.