Abbey Grange Nursing Home

Updated 5 August 2022

The inspection

This was a targeted inspection to check on a specific concern we had about the management of incidents, staffing and eating and drinking support people received

Inspection team

The inspection was completed by two inspectors 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. They completed telephone interviews remotely.

Service and service type

Abbey Grange Nursing Home is a ‘care home.’ People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the provider registered. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with one person who used the service and 13 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with six members of staff including the registered manager, senior care assistant, care assistant, activities coordinator, domestic staff and kitchen staff. We spoke to the service’s regular GP and a visiting social worker.

We reviewed a range of records, this included six people’s care records and incident records.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 5 August 2022

This inspection took place on 11 September 2018 and was unannounced.

Abbey Grange Nursing Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Abbey Grange Nursing Home can accommodate up to 74 people who require accommodation and nursing or personal care. The home consists of one adapted building across three floors. At the time of our inspection there were 71 people living in the home.

Our last inspection of Abbey Grange Nursing Home took place on 14 August 2017. We rated the service good overall, but requires improvement in the key question of safe. We found there were two breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. There was a breach of Regulation 17: Good governance because the service did not always follow its policy and procedure regarding the management of people’s money which was kept by the home for safe keeping. There was a breach of Regulation 19: Fit and proper persons employed. This was because necessary recruitment checks were not always completed when new staff were employed by the home.

Following the last inspection, we asked the registered provider to complete an action plan to show what they would do, and by when, to improve the key question of safe to at least good. At this inspection we found sufficient improvements had been made to meet the requirements of Regulation 17 and Regulation 19.

At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the overall rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

There was a registered manager employed at Abbey Grange Nursing Home. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC 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 told us they felt safe. There were enough staff available to meet people's needs in a timely way and to keep people safe. Staff had completed safeguarding vulnerable adults training and they had a good understanding of their responsibility to protect people from harm.

There were effective procedures in place for the safe management and administration of medicines. People received their medicines as prescribed.

People's needs were assessed before they moved into Abbey Grange Nursing Home to check the service was suitable for them. Their care plans were regularly reviewed to make sure they always received the correct level of care and support.

People told us the staff were kind and caring. During this inspection we observed staff treat people with kindness, dignity and respect. People’s relatives told us staff were caring and supportive towards them as well. Relatives and friends were welcomed into the home.

Staff received a range of training which the registered provider considered to be mandatory. Staff told us they were happy with the training they received and felt it supported them in their roles.

People were asked for consent before care was provided to them. Where people lacked capacity to make certain decisions for themselves, their care records showed decisions had been made in their best interests. People were supported to have maximum choice and control over their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service support this practice.

The service worked closely with community health professionals to support people with their health needs. People's care records evidenced they received medical attention when they needed it, to promote their health.

People were happy with the activities on offer at the home. The service had recently acquired a mini-bus which was used to support people to access the community.

People's complaints were recorded and responded to, in accordance with the registered provider's complaints policy.

The registered manager and registered provider completed regular audits of the service, to make sure action was taken and lessons learned when things went wrong. Effective systems were in place to support the continuous improvement of the service.

People living at Abbey Grange Nursing Home, their relatives and the staff were all positive about the registered manager and about how the home was run. We found a welcoming and positive culture within the home.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.