Guildford House Care Home

Signature at Guildford is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care for up to 101 people. The service is set across three floors, of which the top floor is adapted for people living with dementia. There were 81 people living at the service at the time of the inspection.

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

People and their relatives told us staff were kind and caring towards them and that they felt safe living at the service. There were sufficient staff to support people with their needs. Staff were aware of risks related to people’s care and how to support people whilst helping maintain their independence. Staff knew how to whistleblow and raise concerns should they need to.

People’s medicines were managed safely. People told us they had access to healthcare professionals and care records we reviewed confirmed this.

Safety checks of the premises and fire safety checks were undertaken and there were plans in place in the event of an emergency evacuation. Staff had completed individual personal emergency evacuation plans for people.

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.

We were assured the service were following safe infection prevention and control procedures to keep people safe.

Care records were person-centred and included information on risks associated with people’s care.

Staff had received regular training and supervisions in order to perform their roles effectively. Staff were supported in their progression and supervisions gave them the opportunity to track their progress.

People were provided with a range of activities which included group activities and one-to-one activities. Staff had considered the risk of social isolation and people confirmed that they were able to partake in activities but that their wishes were respected should they choose not to participate.

There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the care provided. People and their relatives told us they knew how to complain and that the manager would listen to their concerns. They told us that they were given the opportunity to feed back on the service and attend meetings.

People, their relatives and staff told us that there was a positive atmosphere at the service which engaged them. They told us that the service was managed effectively and spoke positively of the management and staff.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 10 December 2021 and this is the first inspection. The last rating for the service under the previous provider was good, published on 11 December 2021. This service is operated by 2 companies. These 2 companies have a dual registration and are jointly responsible for the services at the home.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service and based on the date it first registered with the Care Quality Commission.

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.

Sunrise of Guildford is a nursing and residential care home that can support up to 101 people. The ground and first floor provide accommodation for people described as requiring assisted living, this part of the home is called the ‘Assisted Living Neighbourhood’. The care provided includes a range of care and nursing needs that include minimal support for people up to nursing care. Some people led a mainly independent life and used the home's facilities to support their lifestyle. Other people had various health care needs that included physical and medical conditions including diabetes, strokes and end of life care. Some people had limited mobility and needed to be supported with equipment to help them move around. Some people lived with dementia that required regular prompting and supervision to lead a fulfilling life.

The second floor provided accommodation for people who were living with dementia. This floor was called the ‘Reminiscence Neighbourhood’.

At the time of the inspection, care and support was being provided to 73 people.

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

The deployment of staff did not consistently promote positive outcomes for people. Some staff told us that they did not always get the time they wanted to spend with people and promote their social, emotional and psychological care needs. People had access to their own individual call bells. However, staff’s response time could be varied. One person told us, “I do feel safe here but sometimes I do have to wait to have my call bell answered.” We have made a recommendation about staff deployment.

People and their relatives spoke highly of the home. One relative told us, “The best thing they do is genuine personalised care. It’s a lovely place to be and they make it very homely.” Another relative commented, “I’m very pleased with the care. The staff are always enthusiastic and professional.”

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.

Risks to people's health and well-being had been assessed and monitored to ensure they were kept safe. The provider had safeguarding systems and processes in place to keep people safe. Staff knew the risks to people and followed the assessments to ensure they met people's needs.

The environment was clean and staff observed and followed infection control procedures in line with national guidance for reducing the spread of Covid-19.

Staff spoke positively about management. They felt well supported and they could talk to the management team at any time, feeling confident any concerns would be acted on promptly. One staff member told us, “Management are ever so supportive.” Positive links with the local community had been established. People were supported to go out and about and the home had its own minibus which people could access.

Equality and diversity was at the forefront of the service. Staff had received training on equality and diversity and spoke positively of the multicultural nature of the home and staff team. People were treated with dignity, respect and kindness and were involved in decisions about their care.

People told us that they made friendships and felt happy at the service. One person told us, “I’ve no reason to be unhappy here. It’s lovely. The staff are wonderful and very respectful.”

People received personalised care that met their needs and respected their preferences. Care plans gave staff clear guidance and staff followed these plans. People enjoyed activities that reflected their hobbies, interests and lives. People were supported with care and kindness at the end of their life. Staff were also passionate about delivering dignified and compassionate end of life care.

People had regular access to health care professionals. A GP visited the home on a weekly basis and staff were prompt in responding to any change in health care needs. Staff also worked in partnership with healthcare professionals, including dietitians; speech and language therapists and tissue viability nurses. We found that the design and layout of the building met people's needs and promoted dignity

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 under the previous provider was Good (report published 28 April 2017)

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.