Coloma Court Care Home

Updated 21 August 2020

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place. As part of CQC’s response to the coronavirus pandemic we are conducting a thematic review of infection control and prevention measures in care homes.

This inspection took place on 4 August 2020 and was announced. The service was selected to take part in this thematic review which is seeking to identify examples of good practice in infection prevention and control.

Updated 21 August 2020

This inspection took place on 21 and 24 January 2019 and was unannounced. Coloma Court is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. The care home accommodates 62 people across three separate units, each of which have separate adapted facilities. One of the units specialises in providing care to people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection 61 people were living at the home.

At our last inspection on 18 and 19 July 2016, we rated the service good overall with an outstanding rating in caring. We found that the home provided outstanding end of life care and people experienced a comfortable, dignified and pain-free death. Since that inspection our key line of enquiry [KLOE] relating to end of life care has moved from caring to responsive. Our evidence relating to end of life care is referred to in responsive.

The home had a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The home was outstanding at responding to people’s needs. The home's website stated, "Our aim at Coloma Court is to preserve and maintain the dignity, individuality and privacy of all residents. Achieving that aim involves working with each resident to provide care in ways that suit them.” It was evident throughout the inspection that management and staff worked hard to achieve these aims.

People and their relatives told us they received personalised care which met their individual needs and preferences. The homes’ dedicated admiral nurse provided practical, clinical and emotional support to people living with dementia and their family members. They ran a daily ‘advice drop in’ service for relatives to access. People were supported to meet their spiritual and religious needs by the provision of daily services and the Christian ethos of the home was reflected in the attitude of the staff and their approach to care. The home provided outstanding end of life care and people experience a comfortable, dignified and pain free death. The home was proactive in raising awareness of other cultures. Staff knew people well and understood their needs. People were provided with a range of appropriate social activities that met their needs. The home had a complaints procedure in place and people and their relatives said they were confident their complaints would be listened to and acted on.

People, their relatives, health professionals and staff felt the service was very well led. We received very positive feedback about the way the home was run. The provider took steps to ensure people and their relatives were involved in the developments at the home. The management team motivated and encouraged staff to develop their professional and leadership and skills. Staff were consistently positive about the leadership provided by the registered manager, deputy manager and the unit managers and about working at the home. The home was part of a group of care homes that empowered and supported staff to provide individualised, skilled and effective end of life care for their residents. The homes admiral nurse had delivered talks on dementia awareness to people in the local community and further engagements to continue these throughout 2019. Audits were conducted to ensure the quality of care and environmental issues were identified promptly. Accidents were investigated and, where there were areas for improvement, these were discussed during managers and unit meetings to reduce the likelihood of these incidents reoccurring.

People using the service said they felt safe and staff treated them well. Appropriate recruitment checks took place before staff started work. There were enough staff on duty and deployed throughout the home to meet people’s care and support needs. Safeguarding adult’s procedures were robust and staff understood how to safeguard the people they supported from abuse. People’s medicines were managed appropriately, and people received their medicines as prescribed by health care professionals.

Staff had the knowledge and skills required to meet people’s needs. 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 told us they enjoyed the meals provided and they could choose what they wanted to eat. People were supported to maintain good health and they had access to healthcare professionals when they needed them.

People had been consulted about their care and support needs. These needs were assessed before they moved into the home. Care plans and risk assessments included detailed information and guidance for staff about how people’s needs should be met. People’s privacy and dignity was respected. There was a range of activities for people to partake in if they wished to do so. The home had a complaints procedure in place and people and their relatives said they were confident their complaints would be listened to and acted on.