Enhanced Elderly Care Service - Byker Hall Care Home

Updated 23 January 2019

The inspection: We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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.

Inspection team: The inspection was carried out by two inspectors and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is someone who has experience of this type of service either personally or via family or friends.

Service and service type: Enhanced Elderly Care Service – Byker Hall Care Home is a care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care. 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: The inspection was unannounced.

What we did: Before the inspection we used information about the service to plan. We reviewed notifications. These are sent to us about certain incidents that have occurred within the service that the provider must tell us about.

We contacted the local authority commissioning and safeguarding teams and the local Healthwatch. Healthwatch are an independent organisation who listen to people's views about local service to those who commission, deliver and regulate health and care services to improve.

During the inspection, we spoke with 15 people who used the service and seven relatives or visitors. We spoke with the registered manager, clinical lead, two nurses, a team leader, two activity coordinators, seven care staff, two administrators and one domestic.

We reviewed a range of records including ten people’s care records, 15 medicine administration records and recruitment records for six staff. We looked at records relating to the management of the service and the provider’s policies and procedures.

Updated 23 January 2019

About the service:

Enhanced Elderly Care Service - Byker Hall Care Home is a residential care home that provided personal and nursing care for up to 95 people. At the time of the inspection, 87 people were living at the service.

People’s experience of using this service:

People told us they were safe living at the service and that rooms were kept clean and tidy. They told us staff were kind and liked; and were available when needed.

People were safeguarded from abuse by trained staff and any accidents or incidents were monitored and any lessons learnt were acted upon.

Medicines were administered in a timely manner and stored securely.

Systems and processes were in place and were monitored by the registered manager to ensure they remained suitable and identified any issues arising in the service, for example in the audits completed by the registered manager.

Recruitment was robust to ensure suitable staff were employed and there were enough staff to meet the needs of the people living at the service.

The service was well-led and the registered manager was visible throughout the service and was open and transparent in their approach.

More information is in the full report.

Rating at last inspection:

Good (Report published on 3 November 2017)

Why we inspected:

This focussed inspection looking at the ‘Safe’ and ‘Well-led’ key questions was brought forward in response to concerns we had received relating to the care provided at the service.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.