Epworth Grange

Epworth Grange is a care home for older people in Bury which is registered with CQC to provide care for a maximum of 41 people and is operated by Methodist Homes. There were 38 people using the service at the time of the inspection.

People's experience of using this service and what we found:

People living at the home and relatives said they felt the service was safe. There were enough staff to care for people safely and correct staff recruitment procedures were followed. Risks were effectively managed at the home and accidents and incidents were monitored.

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. Staff supervisions and appraisals took place and staff received enough training to support them in their roles. People were supported to maintain good nutrition, hydration and health.

We received positive feedback about the care provided from relatives and people living at the home. Staff were described as kind and caring and treated people well. We observed plenty of caring observations between staff and people living at the home.

Systems were in place to manage complaints. The feedback we received was that the care was person centred and that people were able to participate in a range of activities at the home.

There were systems in place to monitor the quality of service through audits, meetings, surveys and competency checks. The home worked in partnership with other organisations to ensure positive outcomes for people.

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 the service was good (published October 2017).

Why we inspected

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

Follow up:

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

A registered manager was in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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.

At the last inspection the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

This inspection visit took place on 14 September 2017 and was unannounced.

During this inspection comments from people who lived at Epworth Grange demonstrated people were satisfied with their care. The management team and staff were clear about their roles and responsibilities. One person who lived at the home said, “The staff are really good and look after us very well.”

Records we looked at indicated staff had received safeguarding from abuse training. Staff we spoke with told us they were aware of the safeguarding procedure and knew what to do should they witness any abusive actions at the home.

People who lived at Epworth Grange told us they had choices of meals and there were always alternatives if they didn’t like what was on the menu. We observed at lunchtime people who required support were attended to in a sensitive manner. One person said about the quality of food, “The food is really good [cook] is an excellent baker.”

People who lived at the home had access to healthcare professionals and their healthcare needs were met. We saw the service had responded promptly when people had experienced health problems.

The management team had sufficient staffing levels in place to provide support people needed. We found by our observations staff members could undertake tasks supporting people without feeling rushed. This was confirmed from our discussions with staff members.

Medicines were stored in a clean and secure environment. We observed staff followed correct procedures when they administered medication and fully completed records.

The service had safe infection control procedures in place and staff had received infection control training. Staff wore protective clothing such as gloves and aprons when needed. This reduced the risk of cross infection. The management team also had an ‘infection control champion’. This was a staff member responsible for keeping staff up to date with the latest legislation and any guidance that came out for residential homes.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.

We found from checking documentation and discussion with staff people were recruited safely. They also received ongoing training and, were supported by the management team. They had the skills, knowledge and experience required to support people in their care.

We looked around the building and found it had been maintained, was clean and hygienic and a safe place for people to live. We found equipment had been serviced and maintained as required.

Risk assessments had been developed to minimise the potential risk of harm to people during the delivery of their care. Care records showed they were reviewed and any changes were recorded

People who lived at the home told us staff were all caring, kind and respectful. This was evident by comments we received from people who lived at the home and visitors.

Staff knew people they supported and provided a personalised service in a caring and professional manner. Care plans were organised, updated when required and had identified the care and support people required. We found they were informative about care people had received.

There was a complaints process and document informing people how to complain. This was made available to people on their admission to the home and their relatives. People we spoke with told us they were happy and had no complaints.

The registered manager used a variety of methods to assess and monitor the quality of the service. These included regular audits, staff and resident meetings. In addition surveys were collected from an outside organisation to seek their views about the service provided.

Everyone appeared well cared for, wearing well laundered clothes and their hair brushed. Interactions between staff and people living at the home were frequent, friendly and polite. The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly. People we spoke with told us that staff members were 'supportive and helpful' and 'everything was done to time and how it should be done'.

Everyone we spoke with said that they were happy with the food and that it was "very good". One person commented 'The chefs are very good and are always ready to oblige if I want anything'.

There was a member of the domestic staff on duty every day. We saw that the home was clean and tidy and no malodours were detected.

People were protected against the risks associated with medicines because the provider had appropriate arrangements in place to manage medicines.

There was enough equipment to promote the independence and comfort of people who use the service.

The relative told us they were "very impressed" and thought Epworth Grange was an 'absolutely wonderful home'.

We looked at three peoples' care records. We saw that people and their families were involved in planning the care and support they needed. Care plans were regularly reviewed and were person centred. They took account of peoples' individual needs and choices.

We found that effective processes were in place to ensure people were asked for their consent to care and treatment.

We saw that there were opportunities for people and, where appropriate, their relatives to express their views about the service. People had choices about where and how they spent their days. They were encouraged to pursue their own interests and a wide range of activities were available if they wished to participate.

The home was well maintained and furnished throughout. The design and layout of the premises were fit for purpose to safely meet the needs of people receiving care there. Procedures were in place to identify and address risks to safety.

There were sufficient staff on duty to meet peoples' care and support needs.

Epworth Grange had a clear procedure in place for dealing with complaints.