Elmhurst Short Stay Service

Updated 22 October 2021

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 Care Act 2014.

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 team comprised one inspector.

Service and service type

Elmhurst Short Stay Service is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a 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 the Care Quality Commission. 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

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to ensure the safety of inspectors, care staff and people.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We 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 the inspection

We spoke with six people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with seven members of staff including the registered manager, the head of service, care workers and domestic staff. We reviewed a range of records that included two people’s care records, three people’s medication records and two staff personnel files.

After the inspection

We reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies, procedures and quality assurance records. We sought feedback from the local authority.

Updated 22 October 2021

About the service

Elmhurst Short Stay Service is a residential care home that provides personal care for up to 27 older people. The service mainly offers short-term care including respite breaks and emergency stays. The service supported 20 people at the time of our inspection.

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

People received the care they needed to keep them safe and well. Staff used risk assessments and care plans to support people based on their needs and preferences. The care home had very high standards of cleanliness and hygiene. Staff complied with good infection control practices when supporting people such as wearing personal protective equipment. People received their medicines safely.

People looked healthy and well. The service worked closely with other health and social care services to ensure people received the right care at the right time. People had access to a wide range of activities to support their health and wellbeing. People received support that gave them maximum choice and control of their lives. Staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The service had a stable staff team who knew people well. Staff received the appropriate training and supervision to help them support people effectively and had access to a wide range of further training and development opportunities.

The service promoted high quality, person-centred care and had an open and honest culture.

People gave positive feedback about the staff and the service. They described the staff as friendly and caring. Staff enjoyed their work. They described the managers as supportive and approachable.

The provider had robust governance arrangements; regional and local managers used a range of governance systems, tools and processes to assess the quality of the service and identify areas that needed attention. The provider showed a strong commitment to learning lessons and continuous improvement, and proactively sought out opportunities for development and innovation.

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 22 January 2019).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous 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.

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.