Collingwood Care Home

Collingwood is a care home which provides accommodation and personal care for up to 26 older people. Twenty people were living at the service at the time of our inspection.

We found the following examples of good practice.

• Visitors received updates and guidance before coming to the service to ensure they understood how they were protected and what was expected of them. Consideration had been given to maintaining high standards of infection prevention and control. For example, increasing cleaning schedules, removing soft furnishings and keeping rooms well ventilated where possible.

• Visits had been suspended at the time of our inspection. Visits were very important to many people, and these had previously been well planned to reduce risk and the spread of infection. When visits in person were not possible, people had been supported to keep in contact with friends and family using letters, phone and video calls. The management team provided regular updates to families on their loved one’s wellbeing.

• Additional visits had been arranged over the Christmas period to ensure families could maintain contact with their loved ones. Gifts were quarantined before being given to people to support effective infection prevention and control.

• Businesses and people from the local community had been supportive towards the service throughout the pandemic. This included neighbours and local shops delivering food and other items on a regular basis.

• When people were admitted to the service, this was carefully planned, and guidance was followed to keep people safe and reduce the potential for transmission of infection. This included people having a negative coronavirus test before coming to the service, using a direct entrance to access their room, and isolating for 14 days on arrival. People and their families fully understood the need for these measures.

• Staff had undertaken additional training to ensure they provided safe care and were skilled in supporting people if they became unwell with coronavirus. They were competent in following guidance about infection control procedures such as hand washing and using PPE. Staff were motivated and committed to providing a high quality, safe service to the people who lived at Collingwood Residential Home.

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People’s experience of using this service:

• People felt safe and very settled at the home. They were protected from avoidable risks and abuse harm. Staff knew what to do to keep people safe and how to report concerns if they had them.

• Staff had a very good understanding of the risks associated with people’s care. The staff also knew what actions to take to minimize risks to them. Information was available in care plans for staff to follow and refer to.

• Staff assisted people to take their medicines and knew how to store them safely.

•Staff understood how to prevent the spread of infection. Guidance was in place and this was being followed.

• People received care from a consistent team of staff. The team had a good understanding of people’s needs and how to meet them.

• People’s needs were identified and then assessed before they moved into the home This was to make sure they could be met by at the home.

• Staff were recruited safely and there were systems and processes to check the background of all potential new employees.

• Staff received training, guidance, support and supervision to fulfil their roles effectively.

• People really enjoyed the food and they were offered choices in the meals and drinks they were served.

• People were well supported to make their own decisions about their care. They were assisted to do this by staff who understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

• Staff knew how to make sure they respected people’s rights to privacy and dignity and promoted their independence.

• People received information about the service in a way that was best suited for them.

• People told us they were involved and consulted in planning the care and support they preferred.

• Care plans contained information and guidance for staff to follow to support people effectively.

• People felt able and comfortable to make their views known. There were also systems were in place to manage and address any complaints or concerns raised.

• There were systems in place to check and review how the home was managed by the registered manager. This included reviewing systems for updating people’s care records and monitoring health and safety.

At this inspection we found the service met the characteristics of a “Good” rating in all areas

Rating at last inspection: At our last comprehensive inspection of this service in November 2016, we rated the service as 'Good'.

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the date and the rating of the previous inspection.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner

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

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.

The service was important to the provider, registered manager and staff team and they clearly wanted the best for people. One relative recently wrote to the home complimenting and thanking them for their services. They stated, “I have always been overwhelmed by the huge kindness and compassion shown by all staff especially the manager who has been a tower of strength through various challenges we have encountered. Thank you all for your help and support, the manager must be proud of her team”.

People told us they were ‘content, happy and settled’ living at the home and we received positive comments about their experiences throughout our visit. There were no visitors present during our visit. However we read some recent written compliments the home had received from family members. Comments included, “Thank you for all the care, consideration and attention” and, “There is such a lovely feeling as you step through the door”.

Staff wanted to keep people safe and protect them from avoidable harm. The registered manager listened to people and staff to ensure there were enough staff on duty to meet people's needs. They demonstrated their responsibilities in recognising changing circumstances within the service to help ensure that the staffing levels and skill mix was effective.

Staff had the knowledge and skills they needed to carry out their roles effectively. They attended training sessions and shared what they had learnt with colleagues. The provider, registered manager and deputy supported staff at all times.

The registered manager understood their responsibility to comply with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

People were supported to enjoy a healthy, nutritious, balanced diet whilst promoting and respecting choice. Staff had a good awareness of people’s needs and treated them in a warm and respectful manner. The registered manager and staff were knowledgeable about people's lives before they started using the service. Every effort was made to enhance this knowledge so that their life experiences remained meaningful.

People received appropriate care and support because there were effective systems in place to assess, plan, implement, monitor and evaluate people's needs. People were involved throughout these processes. This ensured their needs were clearly identified and the support they received was meaningful and personalised.

Regular monitoring and reviews meant that referrals had been made to appropriate health and social care professionals. People experienced a lifestyle which met their individual expectations, capacity and preferences.

Feedback from people, relatives and staff was a vital part of the quality assurance system, through annual surveys, ‘residents’ meetings and care reviews. They were listened to and action was taken to make improvements to their quality of life. The provider and registered manager monitored and audited the quality of care provided striving to meet the ever changing needs of people living in the home.

Some people living in the home remembered us from previous visits and we were welcomed by everyone. We spoke with people individually and we were asked to participate in craft activities in the afternoon which included jewellery and card making. This gave us the opportunity to get to know about people, the staff and their views.

It was a positive inspection and the provider was compliant in all five outcomes that we looked at.

People were positive about their experiences. Comments included, "I have settled very well and I am pleased with the care I receive", "The staff are lovely and come to visit me in my room" and "I have made some new friends. My room is lovely and I enjoy being on my own sometimes".

People were spending time in the lounges with visitors, some were enjoying the privacy of being in their own rooms and people were walking freely around parts of the home and going out with relatives.

We spent time in various parts of the home, including communal areas and individual bedrooms so that we could observe the direct care, attention and support that people who lived at the home received.