Background to this inspection
Updated
14 January 2021
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.
The service had been identified for use by the Local Authority as a designated care setting in response to the Winter Plan for people discharged from hospital with a positive Covid-19 status. This inspection was to ensure that the service was compliant with infection control and prevention measures.
This inspection took place on 24 December 2020 and was announced.
Updated
14 January 2021
About the service: The Garth Care Home is a nursing home that provides personal and/or nursing care for up to 33 people, some of whom are living with dementia. At the time of the inspection 33 people lived at the service. Most people lived there permanently, and some people spent short periods there to provide respite to their main carers.
People’s experience of using this service:
People told us they received safe care. Staff were knowledgeable about safeguarding procedures and how to raise any concerns they had. Risks to people had been assessed and measures put in place to reduce these risks.
People told us they felt safe living in the home due to the support they received from staff. Individual risks to people had been assessed and measures were in place to mitigate those risks. For example, sensor mats were used to alert staff when people were at risk of falling. Appropriate actions had been taken when accidents or incidents occurred.
Feedback from people who lived in the home and their families was predominately good. People told us staffing levels were good and their needs were met, one person told us that at there had been the occasion when they had to wait for support, however happy with care. People reported to us that they were happy with the care that they received.
Sufficient numbers of staff had been recruited. Safe recruitment practices had been followed, and all records required were in place.
Medicines were managed safely and staff completed training regarding this.
Staff felt well supported in their role and able to raise any issues with senior staff and the registered manager. Regular training had been completed by staff and they received supervisions and an annual appraisal to further support them in their posts.
The food served at the home was of a good standard. Everyone we spoke with told us that they mainly enjoyed the food and we saw that it was plentiful and good quality. People's nutritional needs were known and met by staff.
The building was in a good state of repair and people told us they were comfortable. The décor was neutral colours throughout the communal areas, corridors and doors that made it difficult for some people to know where they were and where their rooms were. We spoke with the registered manager and providers who informed us that there was an agreed plan to use good practice guidelines for decorating the corridors and doors to meet the needs of all people living there. We saw the plans that these areas had been actioned.
The service worked with a lot of other professionals and agencies to help ensure people's needs were met effectively. Advice provided was clearly recorded and followed by staff.
The registered manager understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). This meant they were working within the law to support people who may lack capacity to make their own decisions.
People told us staff were kind and caring and that their dignity was protected by staff. This was also reflected within the responses to surveys and within the compliment cards and letters we looked at. People told us the staff knew them and supported well, including their needs and preferences.
Care plans were clearly recorded. They detailed how people wished and needed to be cared for. They were regularly reviewed and updated as required with changes in care and support clearly signposted. We saw that relatives were involved in supporting staff to understand how people wished to be cared for. There were activities provided at the home and people told us that they enjoyed them.
Systems were in place to gather feedback from people regarding the service and action was taken to improve the service, based on the feedback. The registered manager and senior staff also completed regular audits and addressed any areas identified as requiring improvement to improve the service provided to people.
We received information from professionals working with the service, all being very positive about their practices including this communication. ‘The Registered Manager is proactive in engaging with all new initiatives, responsive to both health and social care in regards to working in partnership, always willing to share good practice and support new managers in their role through buddying. The staff team are proactive in supporting residents to achieve good outcomes, the provider is also proactive in ensuring the service is providing good quality and safe care’.
Rating at last inspection: Good (Last report published July 2016).
Why we inspected: This was a scheduled inspection based on the previous rating of 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.