Acacia Care Centre

Updated 12 October 2022

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

This inspection was undertaken by three inspectors and a specialist nurse advisor.

Acacia Care Centre 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. Acacia Care Centre is a care home with nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

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.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with eleven people who used the service and four relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with a chef, the maintenance man, a housekeeper, three care staff, two nurses, an activities coordinator, the deputy manager, a compliance manager and the registered manager.

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. We reviewed a range of records. This included twelve people’s care records and medication records. We looked at six staff files in relation to recruitment and staff training. We also reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service including quality monitoring checks and audits and policies and procedures.

Updated 12 October 2022

About the service

Acacia Care Centre is a care home providing personal and nursing care to 61 people at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 62 people. Acacia Care Centre is a purpose-built care home arranged over four floors, each of which has separate adapted facilities. The home provides support to people with nursing needs including adults with complex health needs. One of the floors specialises in providing care to people living with dementia.

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

The home had safeguarding procedures in place and staff had a clear understanding of these procedures. Appropriate recruitment checks had taken place before staff started work. Staff were deployed effectively to meet people’s needs. People’s medicines were managed safely. The provider had systems for monitoring, investigating and learning from incidents and accidents. The service had procedures in place to reduce the risk of infections.

People’s care and support needs were assessed when they moved into the home. Risks to people had been assessed to ensure their needs were safely met. Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to support people appropriately. Staff were supported through induction, training and regular supervision.

People were supported to maintain a healthy balanced diet and they had access to health care professionals when they needed them. The design of the premises was meeting people's needs. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People and their relatives had been consulted about their care and support needs. The home offered a range of facilities and activities to support people’s need for social interaction and stimulation. Staff understood the importance of working within the principles of the Equality Act and supported people in meeting their diverse needs. The home had a complaints procedure in place and people and their relatives said they were confident their complaints would be listened to and acted on. There were procedures in place to make sure people had access to end of life care and support when it was required.

The registered manager and staff worked in partnership with health and social care providers to plan and deliver an effective service. The provider took people and their relatives views into account through surveys and residents and relative’s meetings.

There were systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service and any learning was identified and acted on. Staff enjoyed working at the home and said they received good support from the registered manager.

Rating at last inspection.

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 9 January 2021).

At that inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations. At this inspection we found that the provider had embedded and consolidated the improvements made at the last inspection and the rating has improved to good.

Why we inspected.

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

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.

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