Yew Tree Residential Care Home

Updated 25 May 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 carried out 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

Yew Tree Residential Care Home 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. Yew Tree Residential Care 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 no registered manager in post. However, the current manager was in the process of applying for registration with CQC.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since it’s registration with CQC. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service, and we reviewed previous inspection reports. 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

During the inspection we spoke with 4 people who used the service and 1 relative. We spoke with 7 members of staff. This included the cook, care staff, the deputy manager, the manager, and the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

We reviewed a number of documents associated with people’s care needs, this included medicine administration records and 4 care plans. We also reviewed documents associated with the running of the service, this included quality monitoring records, polices, environmental risk assessments and cleaning schedules. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

Updated 25 May 2023

About the service

Yew Tree Residential Care Home is registered to provide accommodation for up to 18 people requiring nursing or personal care, including older people and people living with dementia. There were 11 people living in the home on the day of our inspection.

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

When we last inspected the service we found multiple areas of serious concerns. At this inspection we found significant improvements. However, there were still further improvements required.

Although quality monitoring processes were in place these needed further work to ensure when issues were highlighted it was clear what action would be taken and by whom. The provider recognised they need to have better oversight and ongoing support for the manager.

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; however the policies and systems in the service did not always support this practice and further improvement was required to record how best interest decisions were made.

People were supported safely and risks to their safety had been assessed using nationally recognised assessment tools, with measures in place to support them. The manager had processes in place to ensure people were protected from the risk of abuse and staff showed good understanding of safeguarding issues. People’s medicines were managed safely, and the service had good infection prevention and control practices in place to protect people from the risks of infection.

People were supported by adequate numbers of staff who had received support and training for their roles. The manager had processes in place to ensure learning from events at the service.

People were supported with their nutritional needs. Specialist diets were in place when required and people were monitored to help them retain a healthy weight. Their health needs were monitored, and staff ensured when support from external health professionals was required this was sought in a timely manner.

Staff engagement with the people they support was good and people were treated in a caring and respectful way. People and their relatives had the opportunity to express their views on their care. Staff worked in a way which supported people’s dignity and privacy.

People’s care was provided in a person-centred way and staff showed good knowledge of the people they supported. There were social activities available on a regular basis to help prevent social isolation and people’s communication needs were supported.

People received appropriate care at the end of their lives and their wishes for their care at this time in their life were recorded and carried out.

The service had a complaints policy in place and staff were aware of how to support people should they wish to complain.

The manager of the service was approachable and open, staff and people in their care felt supported.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was inadequate (published 4 May 2023). The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

This service has been in Special Measures since 8 July 2022. During this inspection the provider demonstrated that improvements have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate overall or in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures.

Why we inspected

This inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.

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.

The overall rating for the service has changed from Inadequate to Good based on the findings of this inspection.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the well led sections of this full report.

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

Follow up

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