Archived: Ingram House

Updated 24 November 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 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

Two inspectors carried out the inspection.

Service and service type

Ingram 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. Ingram 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.

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 place, although they were not working when our inspection took place.

Notice of inspection

The inspection was unannounced.

Before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals 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. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with six people who lived at the home and five relatives about the care their family members received. We spoke with the provider’s director of care and four care staff.

We looked at care records for three people, including their assessments, care plans and risk assessments. We checked five staff recruitment files, medicines management, records of complaints and accidents and incidents and the home’s business contingency plan. We reviewed policies, procedures, meeting minutes, surveys, and quality monitoring reports.

Updated 24 November 2022

Ingram House is a care home without nursing for a maximum of 27 older people, including people living with dementia. There were 25 people living at the home at the time of our inspection.

The home is purpose-built and all accommodation and facilities are arranged on one floor. The home is situated in Whiteley Village, which provides housing to around 400 older people in almshouse cottages, extra-care flats, and a nursing home.

People’s experience of using this service:

There were enough staff on each shift to provide the care people needed safely. People did not have to wait for care when they needed it. Assessments were carried out to identify any risks to people and measures implemented to minimise these. Accidents and incidents were recorded and reviewed to identify learning and risk reduction measures. People’s medicines were managed safely.

The provider’s recruitment procedures helped ensure only suitable staff were employed. Staff were able to describe the potential signs of abuse and knew how to report any concerns they had. If people had raised concerns about the care they received, these had been reported to relevant agencies and appropriate action taken in response.

People’s needs were assessed before they moved to the home to ensure staff had the skills and experience they needed to provide their care. Staff supported people to maintain good health and to access healthcare services if they needed them. Managers and staff had established effective working relationships with other professionals to ensure people’s needs were met.

Staff had an induction when they started work and the ongoing training they needed to carry out their roles. Staff were supported through regular supervision, at which they had opportunities to discuss their training and development needs.

Some people enjoyed the food at the home, while others felt it needed improvement. The provider was aware of some people’s dissatisfaction with the food and had arranged for the catering company to hear and respond to people’s feedback, and to provide additional training for catering staff.

The design and layout of the home were suitable for people’s needs. The home had comfortable communal areas and people were able to personalise their rooms as they chose. People had access to extensive, well-maintained grounds.

Staff were kind and compassionate in their approach to care. They treated people with respect and encouraged people to make choices about their daily lives. People told us the home had a friendly, welcoming atmosphere and said staff took an interest in their wellbeing. Staff supported people in a way which maintained their dignity and promoted their independence.

People’s care was provided in a way which reflected their individual needs and preferences. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People had access to a range of activities, which they said they enjoyed. In response to people’s feedback, the provider was planning more outings and recruiting additional volunteers to support the activities programme.

Relatives told us the home communicated well with them and said they felt able to raise any concerns they had. People who lived at the home and their relatives had opportunities to give their views about all aspects of the service and these were listened to. The provider maintained an effective oversight of the service, which ensured people’s care was well-planned and managed.

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

Rating at last inspection

The three services operating in Whitely Village, Ingram House, Eliza Palmer Hub, (a care home with nursing), and the Village’s extra care scheme, were previously registered as one location. The last inspection when the services were registered as one location was carried out on 31 July 2019 and the service was rated requires improvement (report published 7 October 2019). Since then, the three services have been registered as individual locations. Ingram House was registered on 17 June 2021 and this is the first inspection since that date.

Why we inspected:

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

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, which will help inform when we next inspect.