Background to this inspection
Updated
16 January 2020
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.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
St Christopher’s House 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.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
Prior to the inspection, we reviewed the information that we held about the service and the provider including notifications about the safety and well-being of people who used the service. We also reviewed information, the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. Providers are required to send us key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
During the inspection we spoke with three people using the service about their experience of the care provided. We also observed interactions between people and care staff. We spoke with the nominated individual, the registered manager and one support staff. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.
We looked at four care records and medicines administration records and medicine supplies for three people who used the service. We also looked at the personnel and training files of two support staff. Other documents that we looked at relating to people's care included risk assessments, staff meeting minutes, handover notes, quality audits and policies and procedures.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We spoke with a further support staff member. We looked at training data and quality assurance records.
Updated
16 January 2020
About the service
St Christopher’s House is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to four people living with mental health conditions at the time of the inspection. St Christopher’s House can accommodate up to six people in one adapted building.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People told us they felt safe living at St Christopher’s House. Staff knew how to identify any signs of possible abuse and the steps they would take to report their concerns to protect people.
People were supported to be as independent as possible. We observed people had established positive and caring relationships with all staff which were based on trust and respect.
Care plans detailed people’s individual risks associated with their health and care needs and gave directions and guidance to staff on how to support people to minimise the known risks and keep people safe.
Processes in place to support medicines management and administration ensure people received their medicines safely and as prescribed.
There were enough staff available to support people safely. Recruitment processes in place enabled the registered manager to only recruit only those staff that had been assessed as safe to work with vulnerable adults.
Staff received appropriate training, support and further development to be able to carry out their role and support people effectively.
People were supported to access a variety of health and social care professionals where required to promote their health and wellbeing.
People were supported to maintain a healthy lifestyle. People had access to drinks and snacks of their choice and were encouraged to prepare meals of their choice on a daily basis.
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.
People were able involved in and able to make decisions about how they wished to be supported and the things they wanted to do on a day to day basis.
Care plans were detailed and person centred listing people’s wishes and preferences on how they wanted to be supported.
Process were in place and on display on how to complain. People knew who to speak with if they had any concerns.
People knew the registered manager and we observed people throughout the inspection approach them with confidence. The registered manager and staff made themselves available for people at all times.
Management oversight processes in place enabled the registered manager to monitor the quality of care people received. However, these checks and audits were not always formally recorded.
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 (published 21 June 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.