Bishopsteignton House

Updated 7 July 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 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

An inspector and a medicines inspector visited on the first day. One inspector visited the home on the second and third day. Feedback was given on the fourth day of inspection.

An Expert by Experience called relatives to gather their feedback. 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

Bishopsteignton House 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. Bishopsteignton House is a care home without 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 on the first day. It was announced on the second and third day. On the fourth day, we gave feedback to the management team on a Teams call.

What we did before the inspection

The provider was asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the home had been registered. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

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.

During the inspection, we spoke with eight members of staff which included the registered manager and the regional director. Seven staff completed questionnaires sent out by CQC. We spoke with 13 people who lived at the service and observed interactions between people and staff. During our site visit we spoke with two visitors and spoke with four visitors on the phone.

We reviewed a range of records, including people’s care records, staff recruitment files, records relating to safety checks including fire safety, complaints records, accident and incident records. We also reviewed medicines records and records relating to monitoring and quality assurance.

Updated 7 July 2022

About the service

Bishopsteignton House is a residential care home that provides personal care for up to 27 people aged 65 and over. There were 27 people living there at the time of the inspection, although one person was admitted to hospital during the inspection. Bishopsteignton House is set in its own grounds with bright spacious communal areas.

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

Despite national staffing shortages, the management team had worked hard to ensure they recruited new staff. Newly recruited staff were positive about the supportive environment created by the registered manager and the good teamwork. For example, “There is a lovely atmosphere, a strong team and supporting management.”

People generally received their medicines in the way prescribed for them. However, there were improvements needed to some aspects of the way people’s medicines were managed.

Staff relationships with people were caring and supportive. People commented staff were busy and would like them to have more time to stop and talk but praised their kindness and attentiveness. One person summed up their experience, saying “Overall, we are blessed” and another said, “The staff are miraculous, can’t do enough for me.” Visitors were also positive, for example staff “genuinely so caring and gentle.”

Recruitment checks helped ensure staff were suitable to support people. People received effective care and support from staff who were well trained and competent. Staff described their training as “comprehensive.”

The service provided safe care to people. People were relaxed with one another and the staff group. People commented on the importance of companionship and their friendships within the home. Visitors said they were reassured by their relative’s appearance and contentment. For example. “I would arrive unexpectedly and find mum clean, calm and well looked after.”

Measures to manage risk were as least restrictive as possible to protect people's freedom. People's rights were protected because the service followed the appropriate legal processes.

Care files were personalised to reflect people's personal preferences. People’s views and suggestions were provided with the opportunity to feedback on their experience, which was taken into account to improve the service. People were supported to maintain a balanced diet with a weekly menu and choices. Health and social care professionals were regularly involved in people's care to ensure they received the care and treatment which was right for them.

Visitors and people living at the home commented on the cleanliness and the well-maintained environment. Staff followed current hygiene practice to reduce the risk of infections. Visitors to the service were given information to help them reduce the risk of catching and spreading infection. Health and safety checks of the premises and equipment were carried out at regular intervals.

Staff spoke positively about good communication and how the management team worked well with them and encouraged their professional development.

People's equality, diversity and human rights were respected. During the inspection, work was undertaken to ensure processes and information were more person centred and easy to access. The registered manager and the staff team worked with a shared purpose putting people’s well-being at the heart of their practice.

A number of methods were used to assess the quality and safety of the service people received. The service made continuous improvements in response to their findings.

During this inspection we carried out a separate thematic probe, which asked questions of the provider, people and their relatives, about the quality of oral health care support and access to dentists, for people living in the care home. This was to follow up on the findings and recommendations from our national report on oral healthcare in care homes that was published in 2019 called ‘Smiling Matters’. We will publish a follow up report to the 2019 'Smiling Matters' report, with up to date findings and recommendations about oral health, in due course.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 18 September 2019 and this is their first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned 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.

You can read the report from our inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Bishopsteignton House on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

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