Galanos House

Updated 10 March 2022

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of CQC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at how services manage infection control and visiting arrangements. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection prevention and control measures the provider had in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.

This inspection took place on 16 February 2022 and was announced. We gave the service 24 hours notice of the inspection.

Updated 10 March 2022

We inspected this service on 14 and 18 September 2017. The first day of our inspection was unannounced.

Galanos House provides accommodation and nursing care for up to 91 people. There are three units providing residential, nursing and care for those living with dementia. The unit for those living with dementia is called Poppy Lodge. There were 88 people living at the home at the time of our inspection visit.

There was a registered manager in post at the service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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.

At our last inspection in March 2015, we rated the service as outstanding. At this inspection we found the service had continued to develop and further strengthened a very caring approach and the effectiveness, responsiveness and leadership of the home. People continued to receive excellent care in a community where they felt valued and had a sense of belonging.

Galanos House was exceptionally well-led. The registered manager, supported by the deputy manager, had a strong sense of providing people with an enhanced quality of life which took into account individual wishes and beliefs so each person was valued and treated with equality. This inclusive ethos enabled people to carry on living their lives, pursuing their interests and maintaining and building important relationships. The managers acted as role models for the staff team who were motivated to offer care that was kind, considerate and put people at the heart of everything they did.

The management team were proactive in driving the service forward to improve outcomes for people both within the home and the local community. They worked in partnership with key organisations, both locally and nationally, to support care provision, service development and joined up care.

The provider understood the need to provide staff with the skills, knowledge and tools to provide care that followed best practice. They had an improvement plan to invest in staff development so staff had the motivation and confidence to provide innovative care which promoted people's wellbeing and meant they had a meaningful life.

Staff treated each person as an individual and respected their life history and experiences. Staff knew about people and who and what was important to them and significant events in their lives. They focussed on the uniqueness of each person rather than labelling them with a diagnosis or condition. Staff were able to tell us how they used their knowledge of people to engage and respond to them to show they were valued and to make their lives better. Staff supported people to maintain relationships and build memories with family and friends who were important to them.

People had access to purposeful and meaningful occupation that was personal to them. People’s skills, knowledge and expertise were recognised, celebrated and encouraged.

The home had sufficient staff to meet the individual needs and preferences of the people living there. Staff were recruited after the provider had completed the necessary checks to make sure they were suitable to work at the home. Staff understood their responsibilities to raise any concerns they had about people through safeguarding procedures.

Care plans provided staff with information about risks to people’s health and wellbeing. Risk assessments took into account people’s individual needs and abilities and encouraged people to maintain independence where possible. Medicines were managed, administered and stored safely.

People were supported by staff who understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. They gave people maximum choice and involved them in decisions about their care. By understanding people's history and motivations they were able to provide care in the least restrictive way possible.

The provider's quality assurance system involved asking people, relatives and staff about their experience of the service. The provider understood where improvements were needed and had plans in place to achieve these to ensure people continued to receive excellent standards of care.