Background to this inspection
Updated
29 February 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 undertaken by one inspector.
Service and service type
Symonds House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a 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 had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced.
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. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.
During the inspection
We spoke with two people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with six members of staff including the registered manager, the clinical lead, nurses, an activity co-ordinator and a support worker. 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.
We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed. We spoke with a visiting health professional to gain their opinion of the health support provided for people.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records.
Updated
29 February 2020
About the service
Symonds House is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care for 20 older people and young adults living with physical disabilities in one purpose-built building.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People felt safe living at the service. Training had been provided to give staff the skills to safeguard people from potential abuse. Risks to people’s safety and well-being were assessed and mitigated as much as possible. The provider ensured pre-employment checks were completed before new staff were employed.
People’s medicines were managed safely. The provider undertook assessments of staff practice to satisfy themselves that staff were competent to safely administer medicines. The service
was clean and welcoming. Staff had received infection control training and protective clothing including gloves and aprons was available to them.
People’s needs and preferences had been individually assessed and were kept under constant review. People told us the care and support staff provided met their needs. Staff received training necessary for their roles and felt supported in their roles.
People enjoyed the food provided for them. People accessed healthcare services as needed. 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.
Staff treated people with respect and dignity. People were involved in making decisions about their care as much as they could be. People’s right to privacy and confidentiality was respected and their right to make decisions was promoted.
People received care and support that was flexible and responsive to their individual needs. People were encouraged and supported to be part of the local community they lived in. Opportunities for engagement were routinely brought into the service for people to enjoy. Relatives and other visitors were welcomed into the home at any time. The provider had an effective policy and procedure to support people to raise complaints. The provider and staff team were very clear that Symonds House was people’s own home and they would be supported to remain there should their health deteriorate.
The management and staff team demonstrated a culture of ensuring people and their needs were a priority. The management team was available for the staff if they needed advice or guidance. Quality assurance processes such as audits were used to help ensure the provider’s standards were upheld. Systems had been developed to enable people, their relatives and external professionals to contribute their feedback about the way the service operated. The registered manager kept themselves up to date with changes in legislation and practice.
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 11 August 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.