The Avenue Care Home

Updated 21 February 2019

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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This comprehensive inspection took place on 15 January 2019 and was unannounced.

The inspection team consisted of one inspector 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.

Prior to this inspection, we reviewed information that we held about the service such as notifications. These are events that happen in the service that the provider is required to tell us about. We also considered the last inspection report and information that had been sent to us by other agencies. We also contacted commissioners who had a contract with the service.

During the inspection, we spoke with seven people who used the service for their views about the service they received. We spoke with the manager, the providers, the head housekeeper, the cook and two care team members.

We looked at the care records of three people who used the service. We also looked at the management of medicines, staff training records, staff files, as well as a range of records relating to the running of the service. This included audits and checks and the management of fire risks, policies and procedures, complaints and meeting records.

Updated 21 February 2019

We inspected the service on 15 January 2019. The inspection was unannounced. The Avenue Care Home 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 service is registered to accommodate 25 people. On the day of our inspection 23 people were using the service.

There was 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. At the time of our visit the registered manager had stepped down from their responsibilities as manager and was working in a senior care capacity. A new manager had commenced employment and was in the process of applying to become registered with the Care Quality Commission.

People continued to receive a safe service where they were protected from avoidable harm, discrimination and abuse. Risks associated with people’s needs including the environment, had been assessed and planned for. People were supported to stay safe while also having their freedom to take informed risks respected. People did not have any undue restrictions placed upon them. There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs and safe staff recruitment procedures were in place and used. People received their prescribed medicines safely and these were managed in line with best practice guidance. Accidents and incidents were analysed and used as an opportunity to learn lessons and improve when things went wrong. The premises and environment were well maintained and very clean and tidy.

People continued to receive an effective service. Staff received the training and support they required to meet people’s needs. People were supported with their nutritional needs and variety of nutritious meals were provided. Staff worked with external health care professionals, people were supported with their needs and accessed the health services they required. 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. The principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) were followed.

People continued to receive a caring service. Staff were kind, compassionate and treated people with dignity and respected their privacy. Staff had developed positive relationships with the people they supported, they understood people’s needs, preferences, and what was important to them. Staff knew how to comfort people when they were distressed and knew how to offer emotional support. People’s independence was promoted.

People continued to receive a responsive service. People received care and support that was personalised and met their needs. Staff knew how to communicate with people and made sure information was available in accessible formats. People were able to follow their interest and hobbies and took part in a range of activities in and out of the service. There was a complaints procedure and people felt confident speaking to staff about any concern and felt sure action would be taken.

People continued to receive a well led service. People and staff felt supported by and had confidence in the manager and the providers. There were systems in place to monitor the quality of service provision and these included seeking the views of people and staff. There was an open and transparent and person-centred culture at the service.