We carried out a review of the data available to us about The Croft Residential Home on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about The Croft Residential Home, you can give feedback on this service.
The Croft is a residential care home providing personal care to 22 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 24 people. The Croft is set out over two floors in one adapted building.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People and their relatives held the management and staff at The Croft in high regard. People were continued to be cared for in an exceptionally kind and warm way. People were given time they needed to express their wishes, views and feelings and staff afforded people with a high level of dignity and respect.
Staff continued to promote the importance of choice and ensured people were able to have their preferences met. People were given the opportunity to express their views in a number of ways and the provider was continually making improvements to ensure people received high quality care. Records evidenced people’s needs had been assessed and demonstrated the on-going care and support people received.
The provider continued to have a visible presence at the home which people appreciated and valued and they were supported by a registered manager who led by example and was motivated and passionate about improving care for people living at The Croft. The management team had built on their systems to sustain and improve the quality and effectiveness of the service.
The staff team worked well together and understood their roles and responsibilities in relation to ensuring people were kept safe from risk and avoidable harm. People received their medicines on time and as prescribed.
People had access to healthcare as required and the provider had forged good relationships with health professionals to ensure people received healthcare support that was appropriate and timely. 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.
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 Outstanding (published 8 August 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
The Croft is registered to provide accommodation for up to 24 older people, some of whom are living with dementia, who require personal care and support. On the day of the inspection there were 24 people living at the home. There was a registered manager in post. 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.
People told us they felt safe living at the Croft. Staff were aware of how to report any concerns for people’s safety and well-being and the registered manager was aware of their responsibilities to escalate any allegations of abuse. Risks were assessed and managed to reduce the risk of avoidable harm and the provider had carried out pre-employment checks on staff to ensure they were safe to work with vulnerable people. There were sufficient numbers of staff to respond to people’s care and support needs and systems used to manage medicines were safe and ensured people received their medicines as prescribed.
People received care and support from staff who were knowledgeable and competent in their role. Staff had received training to ensure their knowledge was up to date and that they acted in accordance with current best practice. People were asked for their consent before care was provided and where decisions had to be made on people’s behalf this was recorded and staff acted in people’s best interests. People were happy with the food and drink provided and staff were responsive to changes in people’s nutritional needs and sough appropriate healthcare advice when required. People were supported by staff to maintain their health and staff at the home had established strong working relationships with local healthcare professionals.
People and relatives spoke positively about the kind and caring nature of the staff team. People had developed strong affectionate relationships with staff who proactively promoted their dignity and independence. Staff recognised the importance of involving relatives and friends in the community at The Croft and visitors told us they were made extremely welcome whenever they visited. Staff were aware of what was important for each person living at the home and took this into consideration when supporting them, to ensure their independence was promoted and supported. People told us they were encouraged to make their own decisions about daily life and staff supported them discreetly and with diplomacy where required.
People received personalised care that was tailored to their individual needs and preferences. Staff knew people well and sought to actively engage them in activities and hobbies that were specific to their interests and past experiences. Staff were committed to supporting people to lead varied and fulfilling lives and took time to get to know and understand people. People were confident to raise concerns or offer feedback about experience of living at the home and felt the registered manager was responsive. The provider had a system in place to manage complaints.
People, relatives and staff described the management of the home as excellent. There was strong leadership at the home which fostered a culture of positive service development and workforce enthusiasm. The management team involved people and their relatives in evaluating the care and support provided and used this feedback to continually develop and improve the home. The registered manager and provider were experienced professionals and recognised the importance of individualised care and ensuring an excellent standard of care was provided. Staff viewed the management team as role models and told us they felt the home’s positive culture could be attributed to the registered manager. The registered manager led by example and sought best practice advice and support from external health and social care professionals and used their expertise to continually improve standards at The Croft.
This unannounced inspection took place on 8 and 9 December 2014.
This is the first inspection of the service under this provider. The Croft Residential Home is registered to provide accommodation, nursing or personal care for up to 24 people. At the time of our inspection 24 people were using the service. People using the service have care needs related to old age.
The service had a registered manager. 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.
There were systems in place to protect people from abuse and harm. Staff had a clear knowledge of how to protect people and understood their responsibilities for reporting any incidents, accidents or issues of concern.
We looked at staff rotas and observed there were a suitable amount of staff on duty with the skills, experience and training required to meet people’s needs. People and their relatives told us they felt confident that the service provided to them was safe and protected them from harm.
We saw that medicines management within the service was on the whole effective. However, some people would benefit from a review of their prescribed ‘as required’ medication in line with best practice guidelines.
Staff had access to a variety of training to provide them with the level of skills and knowledge to deliver care safely and efficiently. Staff told us the manager was keen for them to undertake training in addition to the standard level of training they were routinely provided with.
People’s nutritional needs were monitored regularly and reassessed when changes in their needs arose. We observed that staff supported people in line with their care plan and risk assessments to maintain adequate nutrition and hydration.
We found that two people in the service were subject to a Deprivation of Liberties Safeguard (DoLS). Staff were able to give an account of what this meant when supporting these people and how they complied with the terms of the authorisation.
People felt staff were responsive when they needed assistance. We observed staff interacting with people in a positive manner and using encouraging language whilst maintaining their privacy and dignity. People were encouraged to remain as independent as possible.
It was evident that the registered manager promoted a culture in the service of putting people’s needs at the centre of decision making and shaped the service accordingly. People were consulted about all aspects of the planning of their care and in relation to the activities they were involved in.
Activities within the home were centred on people’s individual abilities and interests. On the day of our inspection a trip out to a local hotel had been organised, we observed that people were dressed smartly for the occasion and a clear sense of excitement about the event was observed.
People, relatives and visiting professionals spoke very positively about the approachable nature and leadership skills of the registered manager. Structures for supervision allowing staff to develop and understand their roles and responsibilities were in place.
The manager undertook regular reviews and analysis of systems in place at the service to ensure that quality and safety was being maintained. Spot checks were performed periodically by the manager in order to check that the care being delivered was safe and of high quality.
We found that people's privacy, dignity and independence were promoted. Staff provided people with appropriate support throughout the day.
People's care was planned and delivered appropriately in a person centred way. We found that people were offered a wide range of social activities. One person told us, 'There is plenty to do there.'
We found that selection and recruitment processes were robust to ensure that only suitable staff were employed to work with people. One person told us, 'The staff are great 99 per cent of the time.'
Systems were in place to ensure that the quality of the service was monitored so that improvements could be made. People's comments and complaints were taken seriously. One person said, 'This place is marvellous, I cannot complain.'
Records provided basic information about people's care needs and how their conditions should be managed.
We saw that people were well presented and wore clothes that reflected their own preferences, style, and gender. We found that people were asked for their consent before care was delivered. One person told us, 'The staff usually ask us beforehand, if it is OK.'
We found that people received care that met their needs. People had regular access to see other health professionals, when needed. One person said, 'It is lovely here, they do the best they can for us.'
We found that medication was stored appopriately. One person said, 'The staff give me my tablets every morning and every evening.'
We found that staff were supported through training, and supervision. One staff said, 'The owner is spot on with things like this. We are always supported.'
People we spoke with knew how to complain. We found that people's comments and complaints were taken seriously. One person said, 'Things are good here, so I haven't had anything to complain about. If I did I'd tell the manager.'
People told us staff talk with them to find out how they want their care to be given. People also told us they enjoy living at the home and that staff ensure they are looked after very well.
We spoke with three visitors during our visit who told us of their experiences whilst their relatives have lived at The Croft. They did not have any concerns and were keen to speak of their satisfaction with how their relative has been cared for. One of these visitors described the care their relative received at The Croft as 'faultless'. Another visitor said they feel able to discuss anything with the manager or staff and that if they suggest something can be improved staff and the manager take it on board and are quick to act. People living at The Croft and the visitors we met described the home as being well-run by a manager and staff who care about everyone's needs.