Avonmere Care Home

Updated 14 September 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

The inspection was carried out by 2 inspectors and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Avonmere Care 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. Avonmere care home is a care home without 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.

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. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 16 people who used the service and 7 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We observed interactions between staff and people living at Avonmere Care Home. We spoke with 11 members of staff in various roles. We reviewed 7 people's care records and other records relating to people's care and support. We looked at 6 staff files in relation to recruitment. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were reviewed, including policies and procedures.

We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

Updated 14 September 2023

About the service

Avonmere Care Home is a residential care home providing the regulated activity of personal care to up to a maximum of 76 people. The service provides support to older people and people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 76 people using the service.

The home was purpose built with bedrooms and ensuite facilities over two floors. There were various communal lounges and dining rooms. People enjoyed the library, cinema, games room, salon, and beauty room. On entry to the home there was a large reception area and a café restaurant facility.

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

Improvements were required with medicines management, record keeping, staff training, person centred care, including care planning, and the audit and governance processes. Medicines were not always managed safely. We identified a number of issues with medicines including medication errors.

Infection control procedures were in place and staff used personal protective equipment (PPE) effectively. However, staff were observed to wear shellac, false nails, which does not follow good practice guidance in minimising the risk of infection.

The provider and registered manager followed governance systems which provided some oversight and monitoring of the service. These governance systems and processes needed to be improved to ensure the service met people's assessed needs as they did not identify shortfalls that were identified during the inspection process. The service had systems to communicate with all stakeholders effectively.

People told us they felt safe living at the home. People and relatives felt enough staff were deployed to keep people safe. Staff completed safeguarding training and knew how to report concerns. Accidents, incidents, and falls had been documented, with analysis completed to help minimise a reoccurrence. The home was clean, with effective cleaning and infection control processes in place.

Staff's suitability to work with vulnerable adults at the home had been checked prior to employment. For instance, previous employer references had been sought and a criminal conviction check undertaken. Staffing levels were sufficient to meet people's needs and protected them from harm. People and relative views had been sought through meetings and surveys, to ensure they were involved in the running of the home.

People and relatives were happy with the care provided and spoke positively about the staff who supported them. People told us they were offered choices each day, their dignity and privacy were respected, and they were supported to remain as independent as possible.

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 did not always support this practice.

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

Why we inspected

We carried out an unannounced focused inspection of this service. We undertook this focused inspection due to the age of the 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.

Enforcement

We have identified breaches in relation to medicines management at this inspection.

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

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.