Little Croft Care Home

Updated 19 July 2023

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 conducted by 2 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

Little Croft 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. The home 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 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.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the home since the last inspection. We liaised with the local authority safeguarding team.

The provider was not 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.

During the inspection

We spoke with 9 people who lived at the home and 1 relative who was visiting. We spoke with 8 staff members, the registered manager and care manager. We looked at the care records of 4 people and multiple medicines records. We looked at the recruitment records of 4 staff and a variety of records relating to the management of the home, which included audits.

Updated 19 July 2023

Little Croft Care Home provides personal and nursing care for up to 41 people. At the time of the inspection, 35 people were living at the home.

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

We identified through our inspection that the home did not have safe staffing levels during the night. The registered manager told us a minimum of three staff were required each night. We identified on a number of occasions that staffing levels fell short to two staff. Some people required two staff to safely support them. This meant some people had to wait to receive care and experienced delays.

We found shortfalls in relation to the management of people’s medicines. Medicines trolleys were left locked but unattended in the dining room. Medicines administration records were not up to date and accurate. They were not double signed by two members of staff when medicines records were handwritten and checked into the home.

The providers systems used to monitor and audit the home were not effective and had not identified the improvements that were required. The provider visited the home, but no formal audits were completed which would have helped to identify any shortfalls. The Quality assurance systems the provider had in place were not robust. Action had not always been taken when staff had raised issues and made suggestions about the running of the home, during staff meetings and when they completed staff surveys.

Staff were employed following a safe recruitment process. Staff had received training to keep people safe and knew what action to take in response to any allegations of abuse. The home was clean and tidy throughout. The premises was safe, with regular health and safety and maintenance checks carried out.

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.

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 10 June 2022). At this inspection, the rating had changed to requires improvement.

Why we inspected

We carried out a focused inspection of the home, due to concerns that had been shared with us. We had written to the registered manager and provider to seek assurances. We used this information to help us plan this inspection. We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. . We have identified some shortfalls relating to managing people’s medicines, staffing levels at night and around good governance. Please see the safe and well-led sections of this report.

You can read the report from our last inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Little Croft Care Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.