Camowen

Updated 28 October 2021

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 Care Act 2014.

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

The inspection was undertaken by two inspectors.

Service and service type

Camowen is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service which included concerns in respect of staffing and, at that time, the lack of a registered manager. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with five people who used the service and one relative. We spoke with the registered manager, the assistant manager, deputy manager, the registered manager of one of the provider’s other homes, and three care staff. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We reviewed a range of records. This included four people's care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at the complaints log and related policy on complaints.

Updated 28 October 2021

About the service

Camowen is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to 20 people living with dementia and other health conditions at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 20 people.

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

People were safe living at Camowen. One person told us, “I feel very safe living here and have no complaints. Seeing the girls in face masks used to be a bit strange, but these are the times we are living in. They want to keep us safe from Covid and other infections, therefore, the masks are necessary, although I look forward to seeing their faces in the future”. Actions had been taken following the last inspection to ensure people were protected from the risk of the spread of infection. People’s risks had been assessed and were managed well by staff to minimise the risk of harm, with referrals made to healthcare professionals if required. People received their medicines as prescribed.

People’s consent to make specific decisions had been assessed appropriately and was documented within their care plans. Action had been taken following the last inspection to ensure relatives or people's representatives made decisions on people's behalf in line with guidance. 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.

Auditing systems were effective in measuring and monitoring the care and support people received, and to drive improvements. People and their relatives were positive about their experiences of Camowen. One relative said, “I never see staff sitting around. They are on the go all of the time and I cannot fault them. They are patient and they do their best with what they have got. I know who the manager is, and she is very approachable”.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection (and update)

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 22 March 2019) and there were two breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted in part due to concerns we had received about the service with regard to the management, staffing levels and people not receiving timely support. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine these concerns. We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from these concerns. Please see the Safe and Well Led sections of this report.

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.

We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions Safe, Effective and Well Led which contain those requirements.

The ratings from the previous comprehensive inspection for those key questions not looked at on this occasion were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection. The overall rating for the service has changed from Requires Improvement to Good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

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

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.