Archived: Connors House

Updated 19 January 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 two inspectors, and an Expert by Experience who made calls to people and relatives. 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

Connors House 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. Connors House 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 the local authority, including their safeguarding team, and professionals who work with the service. We also sought feedback from the local Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England.

The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with seven people who used the service and twelve relatives about their experience of the care provided. We observed the care provided within the communal areas. We spoke with nine members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager, senior care workers, care workers and the chef.

We reviewed a range of records. This included seven people's care records and multiple medication records. We looked at five staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

Updated 19 January 2023

About the service

Connors House is a care home providing personal and nursing care to up to 47 people. The service provides support to older people with varying care needs including, dementia, diabetes and mental health needs. At the time of our inspection there were 38 people using the service. The service was spread across three wings, all ground floor accommodation. Although people living with dementia lived across the service, one wing supported people living with more advanced dementia.

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

Although the feedback from people living at Connors House and their relatives was mainly positive, we found the provider had ineffective systems in place to monitor people’s safety and well-being. Risks were not always identified and mitigated against. Accidents and incidents were not effectively reviewed and monitored to minimise the risk of them happening again. Medicines were not always managed well. Systems to monitor people’s medicines were not robust to pick up issues which meant people may not receive their medicines as required.

Staff did not have comprehensive and accurate guidance around people’s care needs as records were not updated regularly and contained information that was not consistent throughout the care plan. The environment did not meet the needs of those living with dementia and some areas of the service were in need of refurbishment.

People were supported to access support and advice from healthcare professionals. However, the outcome of people’s medical appointments and advice given was not always used to update care records and not consistently followed by staff. Changes in people’s health needs had not always been recorded to give staff clear information about how to support them safely given their changed circumstances. People were not supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff did not support them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service did not support this practice.

Systems to monitor the safety and quality of the service people received were not effective. Action plans lacked detail and timescales for completion were not met. Audit systems were not robust and did not identify concerns. The provider did not have adequate management and oversight of the service.

People and their relatives told us they were happy with the support provided. The comments we received included. “ Yes, I get the care I need; showering goes smoothly”; “ I am confident in the staff they are patient, diligent and supportive” and, “Yes, the permanent staff do know how to support him as they know his issues”. People told us the food was good, they had snacks through the day and plenty to drink.

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 good (published 27 April 2019).

Why we inspected

We received concerns in relation to staffing issues, incidents, complaints and provider management and oversight. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only. During the inspection, we found concerns in relation to the MCA 2005, so we also reviewed the key question effective.

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 changed from good to inadequate based on the findings of this inspection.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the safe, effective and well-led sections of this full report.

We stepped back from taking significant enforcement action following this inspection as the provider told us they planned to close this service. The provider has a plan in place with the local authority to find suitable alternative accommodation and care for the people living at Connors House. People are starting to move to their new homes at the time of writing this report. You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Connors House on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Enforcement

We are mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when considering what enforcement action was necessary and proportionate to keep people safe as a result of this inspection. We will continue to monitor the service and will take further action if needed.

We have identified breaches in relation to effective risk management, medicines management, staffing, person centred care accurate record keeping and management and leadership at this inspection. Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service. We will meet with the provider following this report being published to discuss how they will make sure people receive safe care until they move to their new home. We will work with the local authority to monitor progress.

Special Measures

The overall rating for this service is ‘Inadequate’ and the service is therefore in ‘special measures’. This means we will keep the service under review and, if we do not propose to cancel the provider’s registration, we will re-inspect within 6 months to check for significant improvements.

If the provider has not made enough improvement within this timeframe and there is still a rating of inadequate for any key question or overall rating, we will take action in line with our enforcement procedures. This will mean we will begin the process of preventing the provider from operating this service. This will usually lead to cancellation of their registration or to varying the conditions the registration.

For adult social care services, the maximum time for being in special measures will usually be no more than 12 months. If the service has demonstrated improvements when we inspect it and it is no longer rated as inadequate for any of the five key questions it will no longer be in special measures.