Archived: Waterside Grange

Updated 7 January 2022

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 carried out by three 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.

Waterside Grange 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 did not have a manager registered with the CQC. This means that the provider was legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. However, a manager had been appointed and was in the process of registering with the CQC.

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 received feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. 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 six people who used the service and five relatives to gather their experience of the care provided. We also obtained feedback from commissioners of the service. We spoke with 12 members of staff including the manager, clinical lead, a nurse, a nursing assistant, an associate nurse, care workers, ancillary staff, activities co-ordinator and the providers representatives. 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 four people’s care records, medication records and weight 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.

Updated 7 January 2022

About the service:

Waterside Grange is a care home providing personal care and nursing. It can accommodate up to 83 people. There were 60 people using the service at the time of the inspection.

People’s experience of using this service:

People were safe. We observed staff ensured peoples safety. People we spoke with told us they felt safe. Staff understood safeguarding and whistleblowing procedures. We observed there were enough staff employed to meet people’s needs. Staff we spoke with also confirmed this. Accidents and incidents were effectively monitored, which ensured staff learned when things went wrong. Risks to people were identified and detailed assessments were in place, to ensure risks were managed safely. One person told us, “The staff know how to look after me and they are always there, they are lovely people.”

Largely people were protected by the prevention and control of infection, although we identified some issues at site visit. However, these were rectified immediately, and documentation was updated to ensure any areas for improvement were identified through quality monitoring. Medication systems were in place and followed by staff to ensure people received their medicines as prescribed.

Staff we spoke with were very knowledgeable about people needs. We observed that care provided was person-centred and individualised. Staff had received effective training to ensure their knowledge was up to date. Staff were supervised and supported. 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. People had access to health care professionals. Staff worked closely with other professionals to ensure people's needs were met.

People we spoke with told us that staff were extremely kind and caring. Relatives we spoke with were positive about the care and support provided and spoke highly about the new manager. One relative said, “The manager is lovely, and her door is always open if I need to discuss a problem, she is always available.” Staff we spoke with understood people’s needs and described how they respected their dignity. We observed interactions between staff and people who used the service which were extremely positive, inclusive, respectful and person-centred, promoting people’s well-being. Care and support was delivered in a non-discriminatory way and the rights of people with a protected characteristic were respected.

There was a robust quality monitoring system in place. Relatives felt listened to and said complaints were appropriately dealt with and resolved. They told us their views were obtained to continually drive improvements. One relative said, “They [the staff] keep me informed and there is a personal touch.” Feedback from staff was extremely positive. Staff told us they felt much better supported with the new manager and that morale had improved and they were working as a team.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 19/06/2019 and this is the first inspection.

The last rating for the service under the previous provider was Good, published on 02/03/2019.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous 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.

Follow Up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.