Alexandra Court Residential Home

Updated 13 April 2021

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 looking at the preparedness of care homes in relation to infection prevention and control. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 23 February 2021 and was announced.

Updated 13 April 2021

The inspection took place on 14 and 19 September 2018 and was unannounced. At our last inspection of Alexandra Court Residential Home on 15 January 2016 and we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

Alexandra Court Residential Home is registered to provide accommodation for up to 24 people requiring assistance with personal care. During our inspection there were 22 people living in the service. Alexandra Court Residential Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

There was a registered manager 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

We observed practice and documentation that showed us all staff do more than that is asked of them to support people and make their lives better. Staff were extremely caring in their day to day practice and we saw this had a positive impact on people.

People and their relatives were passionate about their positive responses about the service they or their loved ones received. We found multiple examples of positive recollections and stories about relatives loved ones living at Alexandra Court Residential Home. The service had safe systems in place for the ordering, receipt, and disposal of medicines. One medicine was given incorrectly and the temperature of the medicines store room had been too high in the past. We made a recommendation about following their recent pharmacists report.

There was a comprehensive programme of quality audits managed by the registered manager. These included health and safety, infection prevention and control and a kitchen audit. The service had received a 5-star rating from the Food Standards Agency.

There was enough suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of people living in the home. People’s individual needs were monitored and staffing levels altered when needs changed.

People, staff and relatives spoke positively about the registered manager and provider. Staff said that the registered manager was approachable and they felt comfortable to speak with the provider if the registered manager was absent.

A copy of the providers complaints policy was freely available. There had been no formal complaints about the service in 2018. People told us they knew how to complain and felt confident to do so.

People were offered a variety of food and drink, with meals and experiences being built around specific types of food. We observed wine being served with lunch.

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

People were recruited in a safe way and had their background checked at the time of employment. During our inspection, we made a recommendation to the provider around renewing background checks (Disclosure and Barring Service) after employment.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.