Neem Tree Care Limited

Updated 28 January 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 care homes with outbreaks of COVID-19, we are conducting reviews to ensure that the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practice is safe and that services are compliant with IPC measures. This was a targeted inspection looking at the IPC practices the provider has 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 20 January 2022 and was announced. We gave the service 24 hours notice of the inspection.

Updated 28 January 2022

About the service

Neem Tree Care Limited is a residential nursing home providing personal and nursing care for up to 57 older people. The service has two units dedicated to providing support to people from Asian communities, with culturally appropriate activities, a separate kitchen where only vegetarian food is prepared and a prayer room. There is one unit which accommodates people from a range of backgrounds and cultures. There is another kitchen where meat and fish are prepared for people living in this unit who wish to eat these. At the time of our inspection 53 people were living at the service.

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

People using the service and their relatives were happy and well cared for. They felt safe and liked the staff who cared for them. They described the staff as kind and attentive. We also observed this. There was a calm atmosphere, and the staff were gentle when speaking and caring for people. A large proportion of the staff were Asian and spoke the first languages of the people living at the service. They had shared cultural backgrounds and religions and were able to understand these and provide respectful care and support.

People received their medicines in a safe way and as prescribed. The staff responsible for administering medicines had been trained and assessed as competent. The nursing staff had the skills and experience needed to monitor people's health and liaise with other healthcare professionals to make sure their needs were met. People had enough to eat and drink, there were a range of different choices for each meal, including Asian food, drinks and snacks.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The environment and equipment being used were safe, clean, regularly checked and appropriately maintained. The provider undertook checks on fire safety, and there were evacuation plans to make sure the staff were familiar with how people should be evacuated in an emergency. The staff had assessed the risks to people's safety and wellbeing and had planned for these to minimise the risks of harm or injury. The staff supported people to move safely and were aware of how to use equipment.

There were enough suitable staff employed to keep people safe and meet their needs. The recruitment procedures included checks on their suitability and skills. Staff undertook an induction, to help familiarise themselves with the service. There was regular ongoing training and support for the staff. They told us they felt well supported and had the information they needed to care for people in a safe way.

The provider had assessed people's needs and created care plans which outlined these and the support they required. People using the service, and their relatives, had been involved in creating and reviewing these plans. The provider had responded to changes in people's needs, adjusting planned care and working with other professionals to make sure people received the right care and support. People were supported to participate in a range of different social and leisure activities. These included supporting people to pursue individual interests and feel part of the community.

People using the service, their relatives and staff liked the registered manager and found them approachable. They felt the service was well-led. They knew who to speak with if they had any complaints or concerns and felt these would be responded to appropriately. There were a range of audits and checks which helped to identify areas for improvement. The provider and management team asked others for their feedback and made improvements where needed. The registered manager analysed accidents, incidents, complaints and adverse events so that these could be learnt from to improve the service. They worked with other providers, organisations and the local authority to develop the service in line with best practice and guidance.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The service was rated Good at the last inspection of 8 February 2017 (Published 31 March 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor intelligence 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.