Rowden House

Updated 4 March 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

Rowden 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 inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. 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. We reviewed other information that we held about the service such as notifications. These are events that happen in the service that the provider is legally required to tell us about. We used this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with ten people and two relatives/friends about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with six members of staff as well as the registered manager, and operations manager. We observed how staff interacted with people in the home.

We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records, three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service. We also looked at the storage of medicines, reviewed medicines administration records (MARs) of people within the service. We reviewed a sample of recent medicines related audits and incidents reported.

Updated 4 March 2020

About the service

Rowden House is a residential care home providing personal care to 33 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 39 people.

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

People received responsive care and support which was personalised to their individual needs and wishes and promoted independence. There was an active resident group who planned and organised activities with staff. A mural in the dining room had involved all people living in the home and continued to be a conversation piece with people reminiscing about the part they took in its creation.

The registered manager and staff were passionate about ensuring people were at the centre of their care and support and that the home was more reflective of a large family.

There was clear guidance for staff on how to support people in line with their wishes. People’s end of life wishes were recorded, and the home worked with other healthcare professionals to ensure people were comfortable and pain free.

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 received care and support that was safe. The provider had a robust recruitment programme and staff had received training in recognising abuse and safeguarding people.

There were enough staff to look after people safely and take time to sit and chat or join in an activity. Plans for a flexible working team with more staff were being put into place, this would mean a ratio of one staff member to four people enabling a more spontaneous approach to providing care and support. Risk assessments were in place with guidance for staff about how to keep people safe.

People received effective care and support that was focused on the person. Staff demonstrated a very good understanding of people’s needs and received training relevant to their role and the needs of people living in the home. People enjoyed a healthy balanced and nutritious diet based on their preferences and health needs.

People received care from staff who were kind and caring. Staff always respected people’s privacy and dignity. People told us they felt respected and valued. People were supported to express an opinion about the care provided and were involved in the day to day running of the home.

People were supported by a team that was well led. The registered manager demonstrated an open and positive approach to learning and development. Everybody spoken with said they felt the registered manager was open and approachable. All staff said they felt valued and respected. Systems in place meant the registered manager was able to retain staff so they could develop relationships with people living in the home.

There were effective systems in place to monitor the quality of the service, ensure staff kept up to date with good practice and to seek people’s views. Records showed the service responded to concerns and learnt from issues raised.

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 28 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.