Archived: Eagle Care Home

Updated 11 August 2017

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 26 July 2017 and was unannounced. The inspection was carried out by two inspectors and an expert by experience with experience of services for older people. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Before the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the home. This included looking at information we had received about the service and statutory notifications we had received from the home. We also contacted the local authority commissioners and the safeguarding team.

We sent the provider a Provider Information Return (PIR) before the inspection. This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. The provider returned the PIR and we took this into account when we made judgements in this report.

We spent time observing the care and support delivered in communal areas. We spoke with seven people who were using the service, seven relatives, three care staff, the cook and the registered manager.

We looked at four people’s care records, one staff file, medicine records and the training matrix as well as records relating to the management of the service. We looked round the building and saw people’s bedrooms, bathrooms and communal areas.

Updated 11 August 2017

This inspection took place on 26 July 2017 and was unannounced.

At the last inspection in January 2017 we rated the service as ‘Requires Improvement’. However, the service remained in ‘Special Measures’ as the well led domain was rated inadequate and the service had been rated ‘Inadequate’ overall at the two previous inspections in February and July 2016. We identified three breaches which related to notifications, displaying the rating and good governance. This inspection was to check improvements had been made and to review the ratings.

Eagle Care Home provides accommodation and personal care for up to 33 older people, some of who are living with dementia. Accommodation is provided over two floors with communal areas, including three lounges and a dining room, on the ground floor. There were 18 people using the service when we visited.

The home had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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.

Following the last inspection the Care Quality Commission (CQC) had agreed the provider could admit new people to the service although any admissions had to be approved by CQC and there was a limit on the number of admissions which could be made each month. The provider fully complied with this condition and the feedback we received from people and relatives at the inspection showed people’s needs were being met. People told us there were enough staff and this was confirmed in our observations which showed staff were available and responded promptly to people.

People told us they felt safe and this was echoed by relatives we met. Staff understood safeguarding procedures and how to report any concerns. Safeguarding incidents had been identified and referred to the local safeguarding team and reported to CQC. Risks to people were assessed and managed to ensure people’s safety and well-being.

Medicines management systems had improved and were being monitored through regular audits. This helped to ensure people received their medicines when they needed them. Safe recruitment procedures were in place which helped ensure staff were suitable to work in the care service. Staff received the training and support they required to carry out their roles and meet people’s needs.

People said they enjoyed the food and received plenty to eat and drink. Mealtimes were relaxed and well organised and we saw people were offered choices and given the support they required from staff. A choice of snacks and drinks were provided throughout the day.

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

The environment was clean, fresh smelling and well maintained. People and relatives praised the care provided and described the staff as ‘kind’ and ‘marvellous’. People were treated with respect and their privacy and dignity was maintained. People looked clean, comfortable and well groomed. People told us they enjoyed the activities.

People were aware of how to make a complaint and the complaints procedure was displayed.

People’s care records were detailed, up to date and person-centred. We saw people had access to healthcare professionals such as GPs and district nurses.

People, relatives and staff praised the improvements that had been made since the last inspection. Everyone knew the registered manager and spoke highly of them acknowledging their leadership had resulted in better outcomes for people. Effective quality assurance systems were in place and we saw actions had been taken when issues had been identified.

Although the overall rating for the service is ‘Good’ we have rated the well-led section as ‘Requires Improvement’. This is because of the inspection history of the service since February 2016 and the current low occupancy with only 18 people accommodated out of the 33 places which are registered. We therefore need to be assured the improvements identified throughout this report will be sustained and developed further so that when occupancy levels increase people will continue to receive a consistently high standard of quality care.