Lady of the Vale Care Home

Updated 17 May 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

The inspection was carried out by one 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

Lady of the Vale Care Home 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.

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 not a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced. Inspection activity started on 12 April and ended on 19 April 2022.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since registration. We sought feedback from the local authority 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.

During the inspection

We spoke with eight people who used the service, and three visiting relatives. We observed the care and support provided to people in the communal areas across different parts of the day, including mealtimes and during activities.

We spoke with six staff members. This included the manager, regional manager, one senior care worker and three care workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people's care and medicines records and two staff files in relation to recruitment. We also reviewed records related to the management of the service, which included incident reports, complaints, quality assurance checks, minutes of meetings and a range of health and safety records.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records.

Updated 17 May 2022

About the service

Lady of the Vale Care Home (previously known as Order of The Sisters of St Joseph of The Apparition) is a nursing home providing personal and nursing care to 32 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 39 people.

The home is located in the village of Bowdon Vale in Altrincham. Accommodation is over two floors accessible by two passenger lifts, one of which is suitable for wheelchairs and people have access to a chapel located within the home.

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

Staff were caring and kind and supported people in a respectful and dignified way. Staff understood how to protect people's privacy and individual choices.

Although there were some activities taking place, people did not always have access to a wide range of activities. A new activities co-ordinator had been recruited and was due to start. The new manager was keen to improve the homes overall approach to activities.

Care plans reflected people’s care needs and health conditions. However, there was scope to make people’s care plans more personalised, to capture people's individual characteristics, which would help staff get to know people better.

People were supported by staff with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively meet their assessed needs. There had been a delay for new staff to complete the care certificate as part of their introduction into health and social care. The manager enrolled staff who had not completed the care certificate shortly after our inspection.

People were receiving their medicines safely. We observed medicines being given safely to people by appropriately trained staff, who had been assessed as competent.

There were enough staff available to meet people's needs. However, some staff felt the staffing levels would vary from time to time. We were provided with evidence confirming the staffing levels were exceeding the staffing dependency tool and we observed no delays in care being provided.

People confirmed they were involved in their care planning. End of life care planning and documentation guided staff in providing care at this important stage of people's lives.

We observed a range of positive interactions between people and the staff team throughout the inspection, with staff responding appropriately and in a timely manner to changes in people's needs. There was a warm and homely environment, with people relaxed in the presence of staff.

People and their relatives told us they had been well supported throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the provider worked in line with current guidelines to support safe visiting.

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 enough to eat and drink and were supported to maintain a healthy diet. People were referred to healthcare professionals when necessary.

People and their relatives were positive about the new manager and commented on the positive changes the manager was looking to introduce. People were cared for by a motivated staff team who felt valued and supported to carry out their duties.

The provider monitored the quality and safety of the service. There was a regular programme of auditing in place. People and their relatives were encouraged to provide feedback regarding their views and opinions of the service.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service under the previous provider, Order of The Sisters of St Joseph of The Apparition, was good (published 27 August 2019).

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection as part of a random selection of services rated Good and Outstanding.

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 reinspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.