Background to this inspection
Updated
5 July 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
The inspection was carried out by one 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
St Georges 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. St Georges is a care home with 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 the there was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed all the information we held about the service since it registered with the Commission. We also obtained information about the service from the local authority and local safeguarding teams. 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 visits
We spoke with 2 people who used the service and 8 family members about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 10 members of staff including the registered manager, provider, care staff, maintenance staff and catering staff.
We looked at a range of records. These included 6 people's records related to their care and support and a variety of people's medicine administration records. We looked at recruitment records for 5 staff members employed since the last inspection. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
Updated
5 July 2023
About the service
St Georges is a 'care home' providing accommodation, nursing and personal care for up to 50 older people; some of whom lived with dementia. At the time of the inspection 37 people were living at the home.
People's experience of using this service and what we found
The registered manager was clear about how the service should be provided and they led by example.
The provider had systems in place to protect people from the risk of abuse and people told us they felt safe. Risk assessments were completed to help identify and minimise risks people faced.
Infection control measures were safe. Steps were taken to learn lessons if things went wrong.
Staff were caring and treated people with kindness and respect. There was enough staff on duty to meet people's needs. Incidents and accidents were managed safely, the managers took necessary actions to keep people safe and minimise the risk of incidents reoccurring.
We received positive feedback on the service. One person said, “The care seems very good and they seem well staffed” and another said, “With the new manager it’s really good.”
Care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that ensured people's safety and welfare. People were cared for and supported by staff who had received appropriate training. There were systems in place to minimise the risk of infections. There were safe medicine procedures for staff to follow.
The registered manager provided good leadership and clear direction. Staff felt supported and were confident people received good care.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 21 December 2021).
At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.
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 changed from requires improvement to good based on the findings of this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for St Georges on our website at www.cqc.org.uk
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.