We carried out a review of the data available to us about Portland House Nursing Home on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Portland House Nursing Home, you can give feedback on this service.
We found the following examples of good practice.
Visitors were screened for symptoms and answered set questions relating to COVID-19 to ensure their visit could take place safely in line with current guidance.
The provider was following local authority guidelines. Due to a small COVID-19 outbreak in the home, people were isolating in their rooms on the day of inspection.
Discreet signage on people’s bedrooms doors clearly highlighted which people were isolating due to testing positive for COVID-19.
The provider had cleaning schedules in place. Touch points were cleaned frequently throughout the day. The registered manager completed infection control audits and competencies with staff around donning and doffing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
People were supported to maintain contact with loved ones via telephone calls, video calls and pod visits. The provider had systems in place where people could receive visits from one loved one, once the period of isolation was completed.
Portland House Nursing Home is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to 30 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 32 people in one adapted building. The home is situated over three floors.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People’s capacity to consent to specific decisions was considered and any restrictions on people’s liberty was lawfully carried out. However, the recording of these decisions was insufficient, and it was not always clear from the records we saw how decisions had been reached. We made a recommendation about this.
Everyone said they felt safe and enjoyed life in the home. 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.
Staff administered people's medicines safely. Staff provided people with support to have the medicines they needed to remain well, and people's medicines were regularly reviewed and checked.
Risks to people were assessed and mitigated and there were systems in place to safeguard people from abuse. People were supported by a well-trained staff team who were available when they needed assistance and who were recruited safely.
People and their relatives told us staff were caring and kind and we saw positive interactions between staff and people who lived in the home. Staff supported people respectfully and promoted their independence while maintaining their dignity
People were able to see healthcare professionals to assist their health and wellbeing. Staff supported people to eat healthy nutritious food and to drink sufficient fluids and were familiar with people's dietary needs. There was an emphasis on the dining experience being a social event for people. Relatives were welcome to join people for meals if they chose to and were warmly welcomed in the home.
There were systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service. Audits were carried out and people's views were sought. Where shortfalls were picked up the registered manager was using the information to improve the service. Staff understood their role and had confidence in the manager. Staff told us they worked well together as a team, and there was good morale amongst them.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and update
The last rating for this service was good (published 16 February 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.
Portland House Nursing Home is registered to provide accommodation with nursing and personal care and treatment of disease, disorder or injury to a maximum of 43 people. There were 27 people living at the home on the day of our inspection. The home has reduced the number of beds to 32 due to double occupancy rooms being used as single rooms. The home is considered full when 32 people live there.
A registered manager was in post and was present during our inspection. 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.
People were supported by staff who had received training in and understood how to protect people from any harm and abuse. Systems were in place for staff to follow which protected people and kept them safe. Staff knew how to and were confident in reporting any concerns they may have about a person’s safety.
People were supported by enough staff to safely meet their needs. When people needed or asked for help and support they were not kept waiting and staff responded swiftly. The registered manager monitored how many staff were needed based on people’s individual needs. Checks were completed on potential new staff to make sure they were suitable to work with people living at the home.
People were supported to take their medicines safely and when they needed them. Medicines were stored safely and staff followed the provider's procedures to make sure they were managed safely.
Staff had the skills and knowledge to support people's individual needs. These skills were kept up to date through regular training and staff were also supported in their roles by managers and their colleagues.
Staff asked people’s permission before they helped them with any care. People’s right to make their own decisions about their own care and treatment was supported by staff. Where people needed help to make their own decisions staff helped them to understand their choices. The registered manager worked with other relevant professionals to make sure people’s rights were upheld.
People and relatives were very happy with the care provided and felt involved in what happened to them. People were treated with kindness, dignity and compassion and their privacy was respected.
People received their care how they wanted it and gave positive comments about the staff and management at the home. Staff were aware of people’s preferences and wishes when they delivered their care. The care that staff gave was personal to each person and people were supported to spend their time how they wanted to.
People knew how to raise complaints but told us they had not needed to. They were able to give their opinions of the home and the care they received at meetings and through surveys. People felt involved in what happened at the home and felt staff and management listened to them.
The home had a positive, friendly and welcoming culture where staff worked for the benefit of the people they supported. The provider had systems in place which assessed and monitored the quality of care that was provided at the home.