Background to this inspection
Updated
20 November 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 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 coronavirus pandemic we are conducting a thematic review of infection control and prevention measures in care homes.
The service was selected to take part in this thematic review which is seeking to identify examples of good practice in infection prevention and control.
This inspection took place on 29 October 2020 and was announced.
Updated
20 November 2020
This inspection took place on 21 June 2017 and was unannounced. The service registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in September 2015 and this was the first inspection.
Westfield House is a care home with nursing. It provides accommodation and care to a maximum of 31 people over the age of 18. The service supports older and younger adults who may be living with dementia, have a sensory impairment, physical disability or a mental health condition. At the time of our inspection there were 23 people using the service, 19 of whom required nursing care.
The provider is required to have a registered manager in post and on the day of our inspection there was a registered manager at this service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. Throughout this report we will refer to the registered manager as ‘the manager’.
Medicine management practices were being reviewed by the manager and action was taken to ensure medicines were given safely and as prescribed by people’s GPs.
Infection prevention and control practices within the service ensured the environment was clean and hygienic, but care staff and the laundry staff needed to work together to ensure best practice was followed.
People told us they felt safe and were well cared for. There were sufficient staff employed to assist people in a timely way and recruitment of staff was carried out safely.
People that used the service were supported by qualified and competent staff that were regularly supervised and appraised regarding their personal performance. Communication was effective, people’s mental capacity was appropriately assessed and their rights were protected.
People had their health and social care needs assessed and plans of care were developed to guide staff in how to support people. The plans of care were individualised to include preferences and likes and dislikes. People who used the service received additional care and treatment from health professionals based in the community. People had risk assessments in their care files to help minimise risks whilst still supporting people to make choices and decisions.
Staff were knowledgeable about people’s individual care needs and care plans were person centred and detailed. There was a range of social activities available and people’s spiritual needs were met through in-house services and one-to-one pastoral care when requested.
People told us that the service was well managed and organised. The manager assessed and monitored the quality of care provided to people. People and staff were asked for their views and their suggestions were used to continuously improve the service.