Norley Hall Care Home

Updated 15 March 2022

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.

As part of CQC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at how services manage infection control and visiting arrangements. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection prevention and control measures the provider had in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.

This inspection took place on 21 February 2022 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection.

Updated 15 March 2022

About the service

Norley Hall Care Home is registered to accommodate older adults and people living with dementia. The home is situated in its own grounds on the outskirts of Wigan. The accommodation is divided over two floors. Norley Hall Care Home can accommodate up to 52 people. At the time of the inspection 47 people were living at the home.

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

People and their relatives spoke positively about the care provided at Norley Hall. Each one told us they would recommend the home to others and that the staff were fantastic and went out of their way to help people.

People received care which was extremely person centred and met their needs. People were supported to make wishes; which staff strove to fulfil. People were supported to reconnect with hobbies, interests or professions they had not completed or been involved in for some time.

People's wellbeing was at the heart of the service, and they had introduced a number of projects to ensure people's experience of care was positive and rewarding.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People told us they felt safe at all times within the home. Staff were knowledgeable about how to identify and report any safeguarding concerns, which had been referred to the local authority as per guidance. People stated there was always enough staff on shift to meet their needs.

Accidents, incidents and falls had been recorded and analysed to look for trends and prevent a reoccurrence. Safety checks of the premises and equipment had been completed as per guidance, to ensure they were fit for purpose and safe to use.

Medicines were being managed safely. People received their medicines as prescribed by staff who had been trained and assessed as competent to do so.

Staff received sufficient training and supervision to enable them to carry out their roles and feel supported. Team meetings had been held regularly to pass on key information and involve staff in the running of the home.

People and their relatives were complimentary about the food and drink provided, confirming they received a good choice and generous portions. People requiring a modified diet or thickened fluids, received these in line with guidance.

People’s healthcare needs were being met, through ready access to a range of professionals. The home had referred people promptly when any issues or concerns had been noted, such as unplanned weight loss. Equipment was in place to support people to stay well, such as pressure relieving mattresses and cushions, for people at risk of skin breakdown.

Care files contained personalised information about people, their background, likes, dislikes and how they wanted to be supported. Staff were knowledgeable about people’s needs, and through observations it was clear they knew the people they supported and had formed effective therapeutic relationships with them.

People's social and recreational needs were met through a varied activities programme, which included regular access to the local and wider community. The home understood the importance of intergenerational relationships, with a local school regularly visiting the home to engage in activities and events.

The home used a wide range of systems and processes to monitor the quality and effectiveness of the care and support provided. Actions plans had been generated to address any issues identified through the auditing process.

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 requires improvement (report published November 2018).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

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