The Olde Coach House

Updated 12 January 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 completed by one inspector.

Service and service type

The Olde Coach House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. The Olde Coach 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 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 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 visited the service and spoke with 6 people. We reviewed various documents relating to the health and safety of the premise and equipment. We reviewed care plans and risk assessments relating to 4 people and medicines records. We spoke to 6 relatives and 15 staff including the registered manager and the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We sought feedback and spoke to 2 visiting professionals who visit the service regularly.

Updated 12 January 2023

About the service

The Olde Coach House is a residential care home that provides support and accommodation for up to 41 people, some of whom may be living with dementia. On the day of the inspection there were 38 people living at the home. The service is run across two buildings, one of which is across the street and has been recently renovated.

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

Governance systems were not always robust and did not identify gaps in recruitment records or inconsistencies in care plans. Audit systems relating to medicines were not effective in identifying issues we found with medicines. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was not always disposed of correctly which meant people were at a greater risk of infection. Oxygen cylinders were not stored correctly.

We have recommended the provider seeks advice regarding best practice guidance for medicines and updates their practice accordingly.

The provider had failed to notify the CQC about safeguarding concerns they had raised with the local authority. We recommend the provider seeks advice and reviews their policy and practice relating to notifiable events to the CQC.

People were safe and received person centred care. People we spoke with were happy at the service. People, and their relatives, spoke highly of the staff.

There were enough staff to meet people’s needs. Staff demonstrated knowledge relating to safeguarding when to raise concerns. Staff told us they felt confident raising concerns with the manager and felt supported in their role. Staff told us they felt valued.

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.

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 was good (16 November 2017).

Why we inspected

We undertook a targeted inspection to follow up on specific concerns which we had received about the service. The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about restricting visits. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.

We inspected and found we needed further reassurances regarding infection control, fire safety and visiting, so we widened the scope of the inspection to become a focused inspection which included the key questions of safe and well-led.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the well led sections of this full report. You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for The Olde Coach House on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Enforcement and Recommendations

We have identified breaches in relation to good governance and oversight at this inspection. Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Follow up

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