Archived: Church Farm Residential Care Home

Updated 23 September 2020

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.

This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place. As part of CQC’s response to the coronavirus pandemic we are conducting a thematic review of infection control and prevention measures in care homes.

This inspection took place on 27 August 2020 and was announced. The service was selected to take part in this thematic review which is seeking to identify examples of good practice in infection prevention and control.

Updated 23 September 2020

About the service

Church Farm Residential Home is a residential care home providing personal care to 33 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 40 people in a period building that has been extended.

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

With the assistance and support of other agencies, the service had made improvements since our last inspection although continued improvements were required. Quality monitoring audits had not been fully effective at identifying issues and rectifying them in a prompt manner. For example, missed signatures on medicine administration records continued and the environmental audit had failed to identify some issues with the premises such as a frayed carpet and a radiator hot to the touch that was a burns risk to people. Care plans for people’s end of life support were still not in place for everyone who used the service and some people told us they would like to do more activities. The service had also failed to report a notifiable incident to CQC as they are required to do by law.

However, sufficient improvement had been made for the conditions imposed on their registration to be removed. The conditions were imposed following our inspection in August 2017 and meant the service had been submitting monthly action plans to CQC since this date. These are no longer relevant and have been removed.

People were very positive about the care and support they received at Church Farm Residential Home and their relatives agreed. They told us they were treated on an individual basis, with warmth and affection, were listened to and respected. One person who used the service told us, “This is a lovely home. The care they give is very good.” Another person said, I am quite happy and think it’s a lovely home. I love the place and would recommend it. I would say to people, come here. My family say they can go to their homes and rest easy.”

There were enough suitably recruited and supported staff to meet people’s needs in a person-centred manner. Staff were trained however we have made a recommendation about this. People benefitted from receiving care provided by a staff team who were dedicated to their roles, worked well together and nurtured a positive and welcoming atmosphere within the home. They were skilled at supporting people and knew people, and their needs and preferences, very well. The management team were approachable, visible and communicative. They took complaints seriously and people told us they felt listened to. They encouraged an open, positive and transparent culture.

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. People’s nutritional and healthcare needs were met, and they received care tailored to their needs that considered their dignity and independence. Activities were available within the service however some people said they would like more to be provided.

The individual risks to people had been identified and managed and systems were in place to help protect people from harm and abuse. Regular maintenance and servicing of equipment and premises helped to mitigate against associated risks and a business contingency plan mitigated the risks associated with adverse incidents. Accidents and incidents were recorded, investigated and analysed to help prevent reoccurrence. People received their medicines as prescribed and the home was visibly clean with no malodours. Improvements to the environment, such as better lighting, needed to continue.

All the people we spoke with during this inspection were positive about the home and the service it delivered. Those that used it told us they would recommend it as did their relatives. One person who used the service told us the positives were, “The whole atmosphere here, most people are infirm and need different care to me, the care they give me is different and appropriate. Looking at the [staff] team, overall it seems to work excellently.” One relative said, “The home has a good reputation locally, the relatives are all happy. On the whole, I am really pleased as I don’t have to worry.”

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 Requires Improvement (last report published 28 February 2019)

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.