Polefield Nursing Home

Updated 9 August 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

This inspection was carried out by 2 inspectors.

Service and service type

Polefield Nursing Home 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. Polefield Nursing Home 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 there was a registered manager in post. The registered manager was unable to attend the inspection.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 5 people about their experience of the care provided. We spoke to 9 members of staff, including the deputy manager, 2 nurses, 2 chefs and 4 care staff. We reviewed a range of records, including 8 people's care records and multiple medicines records. We looked at 2 staff files in relation to recruitment and supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including quality assurance were reviewed.

Updated 9 August 2023

About the service

Polefield nursing home is a residential care home providing regulated activities personal and nursing care to up to 40 people. At the time of our inspection there were 32 people living at the home.

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

The local authority had identified shortfalls in governance systems prior to the inspection. In addition, the monitoring of incidents and accidents needed to improve. We have made a recommendation about safeguarding guidance. The provider had responded positively to all concerns raised. People and staff reported a positive culture within the home and people told us staff were kind and caring.

People received their medicines safely and recruitment practices were safe. Staff followed infection prevention and control guidance to minimise risks related to the spread of infection. We have made a recommendation about adequate equipment storage space.

There was an established staff team that was motivated to carry out their roles. Staff worked in partnership with health and social care professionals. The service was accessible and had been adapted to meet people’s needs.

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.

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 20 June 2019).

Why we inspected

We received concerns in relation to training and supervisions. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe, effective and well led.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

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.

The overall rating for the service has not changed based on the findings of this inspection. We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the well led sections of this full report.

You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

The provider responded positively to all the concerns raised and had been working closely with the local authority to resolve issues prior to the inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Polefield nursing home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Enforcement and Recommendations

We identified 2 recommendations. We have made a recommendation about safeguarding guidance. We have made a recommendation about adequate equipment storage space.

Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.