Peony Court

Updated 19 August 2023

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

This inspection was carried out by 1 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

Peony Court 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. Peony Court is a care home without nursing care. 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

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from professionals who work with the service. 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. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 6 people using the service and 5 relatives. We asked them for their feedback about the service. We observed interactions between people and staff to understand people’s experiences. We also spoke with the registered manager, the deputy manager, 3 care support workers, the activities coordinator, the head of maintenance and the chef. We reviewed a range of records. This included 3 people's care records, medicines stock and administration records, 3 staff recruitment files and other records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 19 August 2023

About the service

Peony Court is a residential care home providing personal care to up to 34 people. The service specialises in providing support to older people. At the time of our inspection there were 27 people using the service.

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

People were safe at the service. Staff understood how to safeguard people from abuse and knew when and how to report safeguarding concerns to the relevant agencies. Staff understood how to manage identified risks to people’s safety, to help keep them safe.

There were enough suitably skilled and experienced staff to support people and meet their needs. Staff were available to support people when their assistance was needed. Recruitment and criminal records checks were undertaken on staff to make sure they were suitable to support people.

Health and safety checks were carried out of the premises and equipment to make sure they were safe. The service was clean and hygienic. Staff followed current infection control and hygiene practice, to reduce the risk of infection. Medicines were managed safely and people took their medicines as prescribed.

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 were happy with the care and support they received from the service. They told us staff treated them well and they were kind and caring. Staff enjoyed working at the service. They were well supported and encouraged to put people’s needs and wishes at the heart of everything they did.

People’s relatives and friends were able to visit without any unnecessary restrictions and were warmly welcomed at the service.

The service was managed well. The registered manager was suitably experienced and understood how people’s needs should be met. They had good oversight of the service and undertook audits and checks to monitor and review the safety and quality of the service. The provider undertook their own checks of the service to make sure the service was providing safe, high quality care to people. People’s views were sought about how the service could improve and the service acted on these.

There were arrangements in place to make sure accidents, incidents and complaints were fully investigated, with people involved and informed of the outcome. Lessons learnt were shared with staff to help them improve the safety and quality of care and support provided.

Proactive working relationships had been developed with healthcare professionals involved in people’s care. The service acted on their recommendations to deliver care and support that met people’s needs.

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 good (published 15 August 2018). The service at that time was known as Thackeray House. The provider closed Thackeray House in February 2020 to refurbish the service. They reopened the service in September 2021 as Peony Court. Although the name of the service has changed, the provider retained their previous regulatory history at this location.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

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.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

The overall rating for the service has remained good, based on the findings of this inspection.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.