Coldwells House

Updated 17 March 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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection team consisted of two inspectors and a specialist advisor in nursing on the first day of the inspection. The inspection team consisted of one inspector and a specialist advisor in nursing on the second day of the inspection.

Service and service type

Coldwells 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

The first day of the inspection was unannounced. The second day of the inspection was announced.

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. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with three people who lived at the home and four relatives. We spoke with 14 members of staff including the registered manager, the provider, senior staff, care workers, an activities staff member, a business manager, members of the housekeeper and laundry team and a receptionist. We spent time seeing how people were cared for. 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 six people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at records relating to the management of the service and the safety and quality of people’s care. These included audits and checks undertaken by the registered manager and provider including in relation to accidents and incidents and infection control. We reviewed a range of policies and procedures relating to people’s safety and infection control.

We saw the compliments received by the service, and how staff communicated with relatives and between teams. In addition, we looked at records showing us how people were supported to do things they enjoyed.

After the inspection

We reviewed additional information the registered manager sent to us showing how people enjoyed spending their time, including how people spent time virtually to maintain important links with local groups. We also reviewed the additional information the provider sent us showing the quality awards obtained by staff for the care of people at the end of their lives.

Updated 17 March 2022

About the service

Coldwells House is a residential care home providing accommodation for persons who require nursing or personal care to up to 41 people. The service provides support to older people, some of whom may live with dementia, mental health support needs or physical disabilities. At the time of our inspection there were 38 people using the service.

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

People’s lives continued to be enriched because staff ensured they understood what mattered to them and supported them as they wished.

Relatives were extremely complimentary about the way their family members care was planned and provided. Relatives consistently told us the actions taken by staff promoted their family member’s physical health and mental well-being, because staff celebrated them as individuals.

People were empowered by staff to do a wide range of interesting things such as participating in choirs, gentle exercise, practice their faith and to keep in touch with others who were important to them. Peoples individual communication and support needs were sensitively supported by staff, so their opportunities to enjoy life were maximised.

People were supported at the end of their lives in ways which reflected their choices and wishes. Relatives told us the level of dedication and support from staff at this key stage in their family member's lives had had a profoundly positive impact on their family members and them.

People had built extremely trusting and caring bonds with the staff who supported them. This gave people the confidence to ask for support when they wanted it. Relatives highlighted these bonds had a very positive impact on their family member's wellbeing. Staff ensured they promoted people’s rights to dignity, privacy and independence.

The culture at the home encouraged and nurtured people. Relatives told us the way the home was run meant their family members received exceptional care.

Suggestions made by people, relatives and other professionals were listened to and used to inform how the home was developed. Staff were positive about working at the home and told us they were well supported by an approachable management team. The registered manager and provider were committed to ensuring opportunities were taken for driving improvements at the home. This included acquiring quality accreditation based on best practise standards which promoted exceptional care.

People were involved in decision's about how they preferred their safety to be managed. Staff understood risks people experienced and took action to help them to stay as safe as possible. Regular checks were made on the environment to ensure the risk of infections were reduced. This included appropriate use of PPE by visitors and staff. Recruitment checks were undertaken on the suitability of staff before they were allowed to work with people.

Peoples needs were assessed and regularly reviewed. Staff worked with other health and social care professionals so people’s physical and mental health needs would be promoted. Relatives told us staff were skilled at assisting their family members and promoting their rights.

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 premises was used in ways which supported people to orientate round the home and promote their well-being.

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 outstanding, (published 28/12/2018).

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection as part of a random selection of services rated Good and Outstanding.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively. This included checking the provider was meeting COVID-19 vaccination requirements.

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