Updated 19 December 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.
As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.
Inspection team
The service was inspected by two inspectors, a medicines inspector and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.
Service and service type
Farnworth Care Home 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 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. Inspection activity started on 4 November and finished on 25 November 2020, at which point we had received all the additional information we had requested from the provider. We visited the home on the 4 and 24 November 2020.
What we did before the inspection
Prior to the inspection we reviewed information we already held about the home, which had been collected via our ongoing monitoring of care services. We spoke with local authority safeguarding and quality assurance teams. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with five people who used the service and four relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 11 staff members including the regional manager, registered manager, deputy manager, unit managers, senior care and care staff, kitchen staff, domestic and maintenance workers. The regional manager is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.
We observed staff providing care to help us understand the experience of people using the service.
We reviewed a range of records. Care plans and daily records were in the process of being transferred on to an electronic systems, meaning some records weren’t organised into one plan. However, we reviewed seven peoples care records and multiple medication records. We looked at 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 also reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate the evidence found. We looked at training data, quality assurance records, medicines records, rotas and incident reports. We spoke again with the regional manager, registered manager and deputy manager.