Archived: Springfield House Care Home

Updated 29 June 2018

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 5 and 6 June 2018 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of one inspector and an Expert by Experience. 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 service. This included notifications about important events which the service is required to send us by law. The registered manager completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). 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. We also received written feedback from two health and social care professionals.

During the inspection, we spoke with eight people, two relatives, two care staff, the chef and the registered manager. We used a range of different methods to help us understand the experiences of people using the service who were not always able to tell us about their experience. These included observations and pathway tracking. Pathway tracking is a process which enables us to look in detail at the care received by an individual using the service. We pathway tracked the care and support of two people. We also looked at a range of records, including three care plans, three staff recruitment files and quality assurance audits.

Updated 29 June 2018

This inspection took place on 5 and 6 June 2018 and was unannounced.

We carried out an unannounced, comprehensive inspection of Springfield House Care Home in March 2017. We identified a breach of Regulation 12 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. The provider had not ensured there were robust procedures in place for the administration of medicines. During this inspection we found action had been taken and there was no longer a breach of the regulation.

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

Springfield House Care Home offers accommodation and care for up to 23 people who may be living with dementia. At the time of the inspection there were 18 people living at the home. The service is a detached house with two floors. There is a passenger lift providing access to the upper floor. The communal area is on the ground floor and is divided into a sitting and dining area.

There was a registered manager at the service. 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.

People were supported to take their medicines as prescribed, by staff who were trained and assessed as being competent. The home was clean and benefitted from some new flooring. The provider had policies and procedures in place designed to protect people from abuse and staff had completed training in safeguarding people.

Risk assessments identified when people were at risk from every day activities, such as moving around the home or using equipment. Arrangements were in place to ensure people’s safety in the building. People’s needs were met by suitable numbers of staff and appropriate recruitment procedures were in place. The registered manager ensured that lessons were learnt and improvements made when necessary.

People were offered a choice of meals, drinks and snacks. People had access to healthcare services when necessary. People were able to walk around the building independently and sit in the garden if they wished.

People were supported by sufficient staff who had received relevant training to enable them to support people effectively. New staff completed a formal certificate of induction.

Staff developed caring relationships with people using the service. People were supported to express their views and be involved in making daily decisions about their care and support. Staff described how they supported people with personal care whilst being mindful of their dignity.

People received care and support which met their needs and was responsive to changes. There were detailed care plans were in place. The registered manager and staff organised and provided a range of different activities. People were supported to stay at Springfield House Care Home at the end of their lives if this was their wish and staff could meet their needs.

The provider had a complaints procedure in place which was displayed where people and visitors could see it. The registered manager promoted a positive culture that was open and inclusive. The registered manager had developed a system of seeking the views of people about the quality of the care provided. The service worked with other agencies to improve people’s health and wellbeing.