Archived: St Catharines Care Home

We found the following examples of good practice:

The care home utilised iPad and Skype video calling as a way of maintaining social contact for residents' relatives.

The service completed monthly infection prevention and control audits which were overseen by a Compliance Manager.

Staff had to adhere to a Rainbow Code of Conduct fundamental to the care home's operation during the pandemic, which included complying with the infection control policy, Covid-19 testing and monitoring by a lead Rainbow champion.

People’s experience of using this service:

People confirmed they were happy living in St Catharine’s Care Home. People felt that staff were kind, caring and their needs were met daily.

People`s independence was promoted. There were areas in the home where people could meet, socialise and form friendships with each other and staff working in the home.

Staff promoted people`s privacy and dignity and their choices were respected. Care and support were delivered in a personalised way by staff who knew people`s likes, dislikes and preferences.

Risks to people`s well-being and health were reviewed to ensure they were safe and protected from the risk of harm. Staff received training and had their competencies assessed to ensure they were skilled and knowledgeable to meet people`s needs effectively.

The home had champions in dementia, safeguarding, falls and end of life care. This was to ensure best practice was promoted to staff.

The environment had a homely feel and was clean and welcoming. Staff used effective infection control measures to protect people from the risk of infections. Appropriate equipment was in place where needed for people to receive support in a safe way.

People had opportunities to take part in organised group activities or pursue hobbies and interests. Staff had a genuine interest in keeping people involved in activities and tasks which they chose to do.

People and relatives told us there were enough staff in the home to meet people`s needs. People felt listened to and they told us they were happy living in St Catharine’s Care Home.

People, relatives and staff felt the registered manager was approachable, supportive and placed people in the centre of the care and support they delivered.

Complaints and feedback from people and relatives were used in a constructive way and lessons were learned to ensure improvements were made. The registered manager discussed any lessons learned at staff meetings and in supervisions.

The registered manager used a range of effective audits and governance systems to check the quality and safety of the care people received. Audits were also completed by the operations manager and action plans implemented where required

Rating at last inspection: Good (report published 10 November 2016)

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection. At this inspection the service remained rated Good overall.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.

The inspection took place on 22 September 2016 and was unannounced.

There was a manager in post who had registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC 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.

There were sufficient numbers of suitably trained and skilled staff employed at the service to meet people`s needs at all times. Staff had received training in how to safeguard people against the risks of abuse and they were able to tell us how they would report any concerns internally and externally to local safeguarding authorities. Safe and effective recruitment practices were followed to check that staff were of good character, physically and mentally fit for the role they performed and able to meet people’s needs. People received their medicines from staff who were trained to do so safely.

People were complimentary about the skills, experience and abilities of the staff who supported them. We found that staff had received training relevant to their roles and had regular supervisions to discuss and review their performance and professional development. Peoples consent was sought prior to care or support being given and where people had lacked capacity to make certain decisions staff ensured consent was sought in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People told us that they enjoyed the food provided to them and were given ample food and fluid when requested. Where people were at risk of weight loss, staff were quick to refer them to appropriate health professionals.

People told us they were looked after in a kind, respectful and caring manner by staff who knew their individual needs well. Staff were knowledgeable about people`s likes and dislikes regarding their care and promoted people`s dignity and privacy when delivering care and support.

People told us they were involved in the planning, delivery and review of the care they received. People were able to pursue their individual interests as well as engage in meaningful activities within the home. Complaints had been recorded and investigated and where appropriate these were shared with staff to ensure lessons were learnt and improvements made where required.

People knew the registered manager and felt the leadership arrangements in the home promoted an open culture and delivered high quality care. There were regular audits done by the registered manager and the provider and where actions were needed to improve the service these were identified and completed. The provider sent regular surveys to people, relatives and staff to receive feedback to help them better understand how they could improve the care provided.

At our inspection on 10 September 2014 we reviewed care records to ensure that people's personal records, including medical records, were accurate and fit for purpose.

We reviewed the care records for three people who used the service. We found that records were clear and detailed and provided accurate information to support the staff team to provide care to meet people's needs effectively.

People told us they were able to make everyday choices and that these were respected. This included choosing what they wanted to eat or where and how to spend their time.

People's individual dietary needs were considered and provided for. One person told us, 'They do ask you what you would like to eat and drink. I have coffee in the mornings and prefer tea in the afternoon.' Another person told us, 'I have bacon and eggs on Friday. It makes a nice change and I enjoy it.'

There were effective systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection. People told us the home was always kept clean and fresh.

Staff recruitment procedures were robust and all the required checks and references were in place before staff started working at the home.

We found that some records were not accurate and fit for purpose.

One person living at the service said "It's lovely here.They treat us very well." Another said "I made the right choice.There's nowhere better. The staff are lovely." We found that care plans were person centred, potential risks were assessed and action was taken to reduce these. We spoke with a relative who said "They really care and want it to be right for her. She's a person to them not just a resident."

There was a policy for management of medication which included the support for people self administering their medication each day. Staff received training before they administered medication.

The staff said they felt very supported at work, found the manager approachable and very caring about the people living and working in the home. They were supervised and supported with training and development to assist them in their role.

We saw a complaints policy on display. A relative said "The manager is very approachable and I would always speak with her first..." and the manager was "...very proactive..." and "...sought them out to check everything was ok."