Vicarage Farm Nursing Home

Updated 26 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

The inspection was carried out by three inspectors, a member of CQC’s medicines team 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

Vicarage Farm Nursing 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. Vicarage Farm Nursing Home is a care home with nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

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. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). 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 five people who used the service and two visiting relatives of other people. We carried out observations to see how people were being cared for and supported. Our observations included 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 spoke with staff on duty who included four care workers, a chef, a housekeeper, two nurses, the deputy manager, support manager, registered manager and one of the company directors.

We looked at the care records for nine people who used the service. We looked at records of complaints, accidents, incidents, meeting minutes, quality audits and the recruitment, training and support records for five members of staff.

We conducted a tour of the environment, in particular looking at how infection prevention and control was managed and we looked at how medicines were being managed.

Updated 26 October 2022

About the service

Vicarage Farm Nursing Home is a care home with nursing for up to 59 older people. The home provides care for people who are living with dementia, other nursing needs and people who are nearing the end of their lives. At the time of our inspection, there were 58 people living at the service.

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

Overall, people received their medicines safely and as prescribed. However, some areas required improvements, and these were put in place on the day of our inspection. Staff received training in medicines management, and their competencies were assessed to help ensure they could support people with their medicines safely.

The provider understood and followed the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). Where people lacked capacity, we saw the provider had applied for authorisations to deprive them of their liberty lawfully.

People using the service were happy with the care they received. Feedback from relatives was positive, and indicated they were also happy.

People were assessed before using the service, and their care and support had been planned in line with their needs and wishes. Staff knew people’s needs well and had assessed risks to their safety and well-being. There were guidelines in place to help minimise these risks. People had access to healthcare services when needed and the staff communicated well with healthcare professionals to meet people’s needs.

There was a range of social activities offered, and people were consulted in relation to activities they wanted to take part in. The home was clean and hazard-free. There were robust procedures for preventing and controlling infection, and the staff followed these.

There was enough suitable permanent staff at any one time who were trained and supported so they knew how to care for people. The registered manager regularly assessed staff competencies and skills. Staff received regular supervision and a yearly appraisal.

There were systems for identifying, investigating and responding to complaints, accidents, incidents and safeguarding alerts. We saw the provider learnt from these to make improvements to the service.

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.

The provider had systems for monitoring and improving the quality of the service, and these operated effectively.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 17 December 2020) and there were breaches of regulations. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

This inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.

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.

The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good based on the findings of this inspection.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.