• Care Home
  • Care home

West House Care Home Limited

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

West House, Waldridge Road, Chester Le Street, County Durham, DH2 3AA (0191) 387 1533

Provided and run by:
West House Carehome Limited

Latest inspection summary

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Background to this inspection

Updated 16 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 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

An inspector carried out this inspection.

Service and service type

West House Care Home Limited 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. West House Care Home Limited is a care home with 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.

Inspection activity started on 19 October 2022 and ended on 28 October 2022. We visited the service on 19 October 2022.

What we did 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 5 people about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 8 members of staff including the registered manager, the deputy manager and a nurse, a cook, and 4 care staff.

We looked at the care records of 3 people, a sample of medicines records and other records related to the management of the home.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the registered manager to validate evidence found.

Overall inspection

Good

Updated 16 November 2022

About the service

West House Care Home Limited is a care home providing personal and nursing care to up to 26 people. The service provides support to older people. At the time of our inspection there were 26 people using the service.

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

Fire safety systems had improved. A new fire risk assessment had been carried out and staff had completed fire safety training. The provider was renovating the home, new bathrooms and shower rooms had been installed and areas of the home had been redecorated. Quality assurance systems were effective, but the registered manager had plans to make further improvements. Risks to people were identified and managed. The registered manager had submitted the required statutory notifications to Care Quality Commission following significant events at the home.

The provider operated a robust recruitment process. Medicines were managed safely. Infection prevention and control systems were effective. The provider had systems in place to ensure people were protected from abuse and harm. Staff had completed safeguarding training.

The home had a warm friendly atmosphere. Staff were kind and considerate when supporting people.

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.

The registered manager had a hands-on approach. Staff told us they felt supported by the registered manager and provider. The home worked with external healthcare professionals to support and maintain people’s health. People, relatives and staff were regularly asked for feedback.

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 requires improvement (published 17 May 2021) and there were breaches of regulation. 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.

Why we inspected

We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions of Safe and Well-led which contain those requirements.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for West House Care Home Limited 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.