Guys Cross Nursing Home

Updated 15 February 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

Two inspectors, a specialist mental health nurse advisor and an Expert by Experience completed this inspection. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Guys Cross Nursing 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. Guys Cross Nursing Home is a care home with 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 the 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 sought feedback from Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. 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 made observations of how staff interacted with people. We spoke with 5 people and 8 relatives about their experience of the care and support provided. We spoke with 9 members of staff including the registered manager who was also the owner, a nurse who was also a unit manager, the quality manager, a senior care assistant and 5 care assistants.

We reviewed a range of records. This included information contained in 6 people's care records and samples of medicine and daily records. We looked at 2 staff recruitment files and a range of records that related to the management and quality assurance of the service.

Updated 15 February 2023

About the service

Guys Cross Nursing Home is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to up to 34 people. The service provides support to people with a mental health condition. At the time of our inspection there were 30 people using the service. Care and support is provided on 4 units which are split across 3 floors. People had their own bedroom with its own en-suite. Each unit has its own dining area, lounge and kitchen.

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

People received safe, effective care which achieved good outcomes. There were enough suitably trained and skilled staff to meet people's needs safely and effectively. People told us they felt safe and were comfortable in the presence of staff who interacted with people in a relaxed and friendly manner.

People were protected from the risk of abuse. Where safeguarding concerns had been raised, these had been dealt with appropriately.

Risks to people’s health and well-being had been identified, assessed and managed well. Where people experienced episodes of distress, care records contained detailed guidance for staff to follow to enable them to support people safely and mitigate risks of further distress. This included strategies to distract or re-direct the person to improve their emotional well-being.

Some people had physical healthcare conditions, for example, diabetes or conditions that impacted on their mobility. Detailed risk management plans informed staff how to support the person and identify any changes which could indicate a deterioration in their health.

People were involved in decisions about their care. People were asked every day for feedback about the way in which their care had been delivered and people felt able to make their own decisions. 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.

Systems and processes ensured medicines were managed safely. This included how they were ordered, stored, administered, recorded and disposed of.

People told us they enjoyed the food and had a choice of when and what they ate. Where people had risks around their eating and drinking, staff were provided with clear guidance about what support the person required to minimise those risks. Input from other healthcare professionals such as the speech and language team had been sought.

Staff worked collaboratively with other healthcare professionals to ensure a successful transition between services. People were encouraged and supported to engage with other healthcare professionals to ensure their mental and physical health was maintained. This included the GP, physiotherapists and psychiatric services.

People and relatives consistently told us the home was well-led. There was a positive culture within the home and staff understood the ethos and values the provider promoted. Staff worked in partnership with people to ensure they could have the best possible outcomes in line with their personal wishes and preferences. Systems and processes were in place to ensure people received high quality care. A range of quality checks were in place to ensure any issues could be identified and acted upon quickly.

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 this service was good (published 25 November 2017).

Why we inspected

The inspection was prompted in part due to the length of time since the last inspection. We also received concerns about the management of people’s finances. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine this risk.

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.

We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk from this concern. Please see safe and well-led sections of this full report.

The overall rating for the service has remained the same based on the findings of this 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.

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

Follow up

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