Bankfield Apartments Care Centre

Updated 14 July 2021

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 Care Act 2014.

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 undertaken by one inspector.

Service and service type

Bankfield Apartments Care Centre is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

Notice of inspection

We gave the provider 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was so we could make sure that the people who used the service knew we were visiting and to make sure the provider or registered manager would be present.

Inspection activity started on 27 May 2021 and ended on 28 May 2021.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.

We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with two people who used the service and three relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with seven members of staff including the provider, registered manager, nursing staff, care staff and a psychologist.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We spoke to relatives of people that used the service by telephone and continued to clarify information received with the provider.

Updated 14 July 2021

About the service

Bankfield Apartments is a nursing home providing personal and nursing care to adults over 18. People using the service live in single tenancy flats. There are six flats on one floor of the same building, and all are currently occupied. All flats are spacious, and people have their own kitchen and bathroom facilities. There is an office for staff and a communal staff area on the same floor. The building is staffed 24 hours per day by registered nurses and care staff. Managers are based in the building in core office hours.

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

People were kept safe and protected from harm. There were effective procedures in place to make sure people’s holistic needs were assessed and met. People had good working relationships with staff, and staff knew people well. People were assisted to take their medicines safely and were protected from the risk of spread of infection.

People received high quality care from staff that had received thorough inductions and training. People were supported to reach their goals and move on to more independent types of care if appropriate. People were involved in the planning of their own support and staff made referrals to other agencies to provide joined up care.

People felt that staff cared about them and were treated with dignity and respect. Staff were committed to their roles and wanted to provide a caring service. People told us they got on well with staff, and relatives said staff were thoughtful and helped make people feel comfortable.

People were listened to by staff and managers, and their concerns were taken seriously. Staff communicated well with relatives and made sure they were up to date with any changes. People’s care was personalised to them and they were supported to take part in activities that were important to them.

There was a positive and open culture which meant people and their relatives had confidence and trust in the service. Managers provided robust governance and leadership, meaning users of the service benefited from high quality care.

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 expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right support:

¿ The model of care and setting maximised people’s choice, control and independence. People lived in their own flat and received support that maximised their choice, control and independence.

Right care:

¿ People were supported to reach person centred goals, to be able to move on to a more independent life or care setting.

Right culture:

¿ The staff and managers embodied attitudes and behaviours which ensured people using the service led confident, inclusive and empowered lives.

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

This service was registered with us on 02/05/2019 and this is the first 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.