Stonehaven

Updated 13 February 2020

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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.

Inspection team:

Our inspection was conducted by an 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:

Stonehaven 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 service had a manager registered with CQC. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection:

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did:

In planning our inspection, we reviewed information we had received about the service. This included any notifications (events which happened in the service that the provider is required to tell us about). We also used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During our inspection we spoke with nine people to ask about their experience of the care provided. We also spoke with four family members, one of the cooks, three care staff, the registered manager, the registered manager's husband (who was one of the directors of the registered provider) and the deputy manager.

We reviewed a range of written records including two people’s care plans, two staff recruitment files and information relating to staff training and the auditing and monitoring of service provision.

Updated 13 February 2020

About the service:

Stonehaven is registered to provide accommodation and support for up to 26 people, including older people and people living with dementia. There were 25 people living in the home on the first day of our inspection.

The registered provider also provides day care in the same building as the care home. This type of service is not regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

People’s experience of using this service:

People were at the heart of the service and everyone with we spoke with told us of the exceptionally kind and compassionate care they received at Stonehaven. One person told us, “It is just like being at home."

Staff had a deep understanding of each person living in the home and provided them with exceptionally responsive, person-centred care. People had the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of one-to-one and communal activities and to maintain personal interests and hobbies. Staff promoted people’s right to make choices in every aspect of their lives and actively supported them to maintain their independence for as long as possible.

Staff worked in a non-discriminatory way and treated people with the utmost dignity and respect. End of life care was provided in an exceptionally person-centred and compassionate way.

The provider worked collaboratively with local health and social care services to ensure people had access to any support they required. Systems were in place to ensure effective infection prevention and control. People's medicines were managed safely in line with their individual needs and preferences. People were provided with food and drink of their choice which met their nutritional requirements.

Staff worked together in a mutually supportive way and communicated effectively with a range of other organisations. Training and supervision systems were in place to provide staff with the knowledge and skills they required to meet people’s needs effectively. Staff recruitment practice was safe.

A range of audits was in place to monitor the quality and safety of service provision. People’s individual risk assessments were reviewed and updated to take account of changes in their needs. Staff knew how to recognise and report any concerns to keep people safe from harm. There was organisational learning from significant incidents and any queries or concerns were well-managed. Formal complaints were rare.

Staff were aware of people’s rights under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and supported people to have maximum choice and control of their lives, in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The registered manager was involved in all aspects of the running of the home. She provided her team with strong, supportive leadership and had created an open and positive organisational culture. Under her leadership, a number of innovative changes had been made to further enhance people's well-being and happiness. The provider was actively committed to the continuous improvement of the service in the future.

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 5 May 2017). At this inspection we found the quality of the service had improved. The rating is now Outstanding.

Why we inspected:

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.