St Joseph's Care Home

Updated 16 November 2022

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

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.

Service and service type

St Joseph’s Care 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. St Joseph’s Care Home is a care home without nursing care. The Care Quality Commission (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

The first day of this inspection was unannounced. We announced the second day of the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed the information we had received about the service since the last inspection, including the action plan we received from the provider telling us about the improvements that had been made in response to our findings at the last inspection. 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. The registered manager had provided us with a comprehensively completed PIR. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with the registered manager, operations manager, three senior care workers, the activities coordinator, cook and two people. Most people using the service, due to their needs were unable to provide feedback about their experience of living in the home. Therefore, we spent a significant amount of time observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us. We reviewed a variety of records which related to people's individual care and the running of the home. These records included; care files of three people living in the home, four staff records, audits and policies and procedures that related to the management and running of the service. Following the inspection visit we spoke with six people’s relatives and one friend by telephone.

Updated 16 November 2022

About the service

St Joseph’s Care Home is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to up to 19 people. The service provides care and support to older people some of whom live with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 10 people using the service.

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

We found areas of the premises had not been well maintained by the provider. There were plans in place to complete some repairs and maintenance works. Following the inspection action was taken to address some of these issues and we were provided with an action plan that showed the other works would be completed in the near future.

We received very positive feedback about the management of the care home and people’s care from people’s relatives.

People received an assessment of their needs and preferences before they started receiving care. Care plans developed from these assessments provided the information and guidance staff required to ensure people’s individual needs were met in a personalised way.

Policies and processes were in place to support safe management and administration of medicines.

Systems were in place to protect people from abuse. These included safeguarding adults’ policies and suitable training for staff. Personalised risk assessments helped keep the people safe and supported their independence.

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.

Proper recruitment and selection policies and procedures helped to ensure that only suitable staff were employed to provide care and support to people. Staff were provided with the induction, training and support they needed to carry out their roles and responsibilities in providing people with good quality effective care.

The registered manager was responsive throughout the inspection and to our feedback.

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 10 March 2021.) Two breaches of regulations were identified in relation to medicines and quality assurance. 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.

The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good based on the findings of this inspection.

Why we inspected

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.

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.

Recommendation

We have made one recommendation about developing a more dementia friendly environment.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for St Joseph’s Care 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.