Hazelgrove Nursing Home

Hazelgrove Nursing Home is a 'care home'. It is registered to provide care and accommodation, including nursing care, for up to 38 people and there were 35 people living at the home when we inspected. The service was providing support for a wide range of care needs for older people, many who were living with dementia.

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

The provider had systems of quality assurance to measure and monitor the standard of the service and drive improvement. These systems also supported people to stay safe by assessing and mitigating risks, ensuring people were cared for in a person-centred way and the provider learned from any mistakes. Our own observations and the feedback we received supported this.

The environment of the service enabled people to mobilise and orientate themselves around the service. Staff had received appropriate training and people received good care that met their needs and improved their wellbeing. The staff team were dedicated and enthusiastic.

People were happy with the care they received, felt relaxed with staff and told us they were treated with kindness. They said they felt safe, were well supported and there were enough staff to care for them. Our own observations supported this, and we saw friendly relationships had developed between people and staff. People enjoyed the food and the provider acted on their feedback in relation to how the service was run.

People received medicines safely. The service was clean, hygienic and a pleasant environment to spend time in. People’s care plans were up to date and accurately reflected their needs. People were able to receive visits from their relatives and there was a programme of activities to support their well-being.

Staff worked collaboratively with outside agencies such as the local authority and healthcare professionals. People were protected from harm and abuse, as staff knew how to safeguard people and what procedures they should follow. Complaints were responded to appropriately and people’s wishes at the end of their life were respected. People were able to express their views and had their dignity, independence and privacy promoted.

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 23 August 2017).

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about the service and the age of the last 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, which will help inform when we next inspect.

We found the following examples of good practice.

The environment had been adapted to encourage social distancing. Communal areas were arranged to enable appropriate spacing between people.

The home was clean and tidy. Staff worked through all parts of the home to maintain cleanliness and good infection control. This included regular cleaning of areas which were frequently touched, for example handrails.

Staff were seen to be wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and there was a plentiful supply evident throughout the home.

The provider had policies and procedures for infection prevention and control, which were understood and followed by staff. All staff had received additional training in infection prevention and control and had completed regular competency checks for effective handwashing and the donning and doffing of PPE.

Staff and people were fully engaged in the appropriate COVID-19 testing regime. The test results were clearly displayed in a folder which was checked regularly by the registered manager to ensure the frequency of tests and results were monitored and correct.

We undertook this unannounced comprehensive inspection to look at all aspects of the service and to check that the provider had followed their action plan, and confirm that the service now met legal requirements. We found improvements had been made in the required areas. The overall rating for Hazelgrove Nursing Home has been changed to good. We will review the overall rating of good at the next comprehensive inspection, where we will look at all aspects of the service and to ensure the improvements have been sustained.

A registered manager was in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Medicines were managed safely and in accordance with current regulations and guidance. There were systems in place to ensure that medicines had been stored, administered, audited and reviewed appropriately.

People were happy and relaxed with staff. They said they felt safe and there were sufficient staff to support them. When staff were recruited, their employment history was checked and references obtained. Checks were also undertaken to ensure new staff were safe to work within the care sector. Staff were knowledgeable and trained in safeguarding adults and what action they should take if they suspected abuse was taking place.

People were being supported to make decisions in their best interests. The registered manager and staff had received training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

Accidents and incidents were recorded appropriately and steps taken to minimise the risk of similar events happening in the future. Risks associated with the environment and equipment had been identified and managed. Emergency procedures were in place in the event of fire and people knew what to do, as did the staff.

Staff had received essential training and there were opportunities for additional training specific to the needs of the service, including the care of people with dementia and bowel care training. Staff had received both one-to-one and group supervision meetings with their manager, and formal personal development plans, such as annual appraisals were in place.

People were encouraged and supported to eat and drink well. There was a varied daily choice of meals and people were able to give feedback and have choice in what they ate and drank. Special dietary requirements were met, and people’s weight was monitored, with their permission. Health care was accessible for people and appointments were made for regular check-ups as needed.

People chose how to spend their day and they took part in activities in the service and the community. People told us they enjoyed the activities, which included singing, films, arts and crafts and themed events, such as reminiscence sessions and visits from external entertainers. People were also encouraged to stay in touch with their families and receive visitors.

People felt well looked after and supported. We observed friendly and genuine relationships had developed between people and staff. Care plans described people’s needs and preferences and they were encouraged to be as independent as possible.

People were encouraged to express their views and had completed surveys. Feedback received showed people were satisfied overall, and felt staff were friendly and helpful. People also said they felt listened to and any concerns or issues they raised were addressed.

Staff were asked for their opinions on the service and whether they were happy in their work. They felt supported within their roles, describing an ‘open door’ management approach, where managers were always available to discuss suggestions and address problems or concerns. The provider undertook quality assurance reviews to measure and monitor the standard of the service and drive improvement.