Croft House Care Home

Updated 19 January 2019

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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This comprehensive inspection took place on 4 December 2018 and was unannounced.

One adult social care inspector, a specialist nurse advisor and an expert by experience carried out the inspection. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Before the inspection we reviewed other information we held about the service and the provider. This included statutory notifications we had received from the provider. Notifications are reports about changes, event or incidents the provider is legally obliged to send to Care Quality Commission within required timescales.

We also used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

We contacted Healthwatch, the local authority commissioners for the service, the local authority safeguarding team and the clinical commissioning group (CCG) to seek their views on the care and service provided. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England.

During the inspection we spoke with eight people who lived in the home and five relatives. We spoke with the registered manager, deputy manager, administrator, one nurse, two senior carers, five carers, the activity coordinator and the chef. We also spoke with one visiting health care professional.

We looked at seven people’s care records and records relating to the management of the service such as quality audits and maintenance records. We also looked at the recruitment records of two staff.

We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

Updated 19 January 2019

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

.

At this inspection we found the service remained good.

Croft House Care Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The care home accommodates 60 people across three units. Some people who are living at Croft House are receiving nursing care and some people are living with dementia. At the time of the inspection 42 people were being supported in the home, 16 were receiving nursing care.

Systems and process were in place to keep people safe. Risks to people and the environment were assessed and plans put in place to mitigate against them. Recruitment processes were in place with all necessary checks completed before staff commenced employment. The provider used a dependency tool to ensure staffing levels met the needs of the people using the service. Safeguarding processes were in place. Appropriate health and safety checks were carried out on a regular basis.

People’s needs were assessed ahead of admission to the home. Staff were provided with appropriate training. Staff had access to regular supervision. People had access to a healthy varied diet. People had access to healthcare professionals when necessary. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff used a caring approach with people and their relatives. Staff provided support in a respectful manner ensuring people’s privacy and dignity was promoted. People’s independence was promoted where ever possible. People had access to advocacy services if necessary.

Care plans were personalised to meet people’s needs. People enjoyed a range of activities both inside and outside the home. The service had positive links with the community with people accessing the theatre, local centres and shops. The provider had a complaints process in place which was accessible to people and relatives.

The provider had a quality assurance process in place to drive improvements in Croft House Care Home. Staff were extremely positive about the registered manager.

The provider worked closely with outside agencies and other stakeholders such as commissioners and social workers.