The Stratford's Residential Home

The Stratfords Residential Home is a residential care home providing personal care to up to 12 people. The service provides support to older people and people living with learning disabilities. At the time of our inspection there were 12 people using the service.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

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

Right Support:

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 supported people to access health and social care services. Staff supported people with their

medicines safely and in their preferred way.

People received care and support to maintain an environment that suited their needs and preferences.

Right Care:

Staff communicated with people in ways that met their individual needs.

Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it. The service employed staff to meet people's needs and keep them safe.

Right Culture:

The ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of the registered manager and staff team ensured people lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 18 May 2018.)

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for The Stratfords Residential Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.

We found the following examples of good practice.

Safe arrangements were in place for visitors to the service including professionals and others. This included a booking system, rapid COVID-19 testing, temperature checks, hand washing and PPE stations.

Staff and visiting professionals were asked to provide evidence of their vaccination status against COVID-19 prior to entering the home. Visitors we spoke with were happy with the arrangements in place.

A programme of testing for COVID-19 was in place for all staff and people living at the service.

Stocks of PPE (personal protective equipment) were readily accessible to staff and visitors, and regular checks were made to ensure they were being used.

Isolation plans were used to manage the spread of infection. This meant people could self-isolate in their rooms when necessary.

Policies, procedures, risk assessments and guidance relating to COVID-19 were up to date, which supported staff to keep them and others safe. Management and staff regularly communicated to keep up to date with guidance.

Management conducted regular checks and audits to ensure the service was kept clean and tidy.

Staff were trained in infection prevention and control procedures, including the procedure for safely putting on and taking off PPE (donning and doffing).

The Stratford’s residential home is registered to accommodate 12 people, ranging from older people, people with learning disabilities and people with physical disabilities; at the time of our inspection there were seven people living in the home.

At the last comprehensive inspection in March 2016, the service was rated good. At this unannounced inspection on 18 May 2018, we found the service remained 'Good'.

This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last comprehensive inspection.

Staff followed the procedures for safeguarding people from the risks of harm or abuse. Risk management plans were in place to safeguard people's personal safety and manage known environmental risks.

Staffing arrangements met people's individual support needs. The recruitment procedures ensured only suitable staff were employed to work at the service. Medicines were appropriately managed and staff followed infection control procedures to reduce the risks of spreading infection or illness.

Staff had comprehensive induction training and on-going refresher training that was based on following current best practice. Staff supervision and appraisal systems ensured staff had regular opportunities to discuss and evaluate their learning and development needs and their work performance.

Staff supported people to follow a nutritious, varied and balanced diet. The staff supported people to access health appointments as required so that people's continuing healthcare needs were met.

Staff understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act, 2005 (MCA) and ensured they gained people's consent before providing personal care. People were encouraged to be involved in decisions about their care and support and information was provided for people in line with the requirements of the Accessible Information Standard (AIS).

People had their privacy, dignity and confidentiality maintained at all times. People experienced positive relationships with staff and received care that respected their diversity as staff supported people to maintain relationships with family and friends and make new friends. The care people received from staff was kind, caring and compassionate.

The provider operated an open and transparent culture. Quality assurance processes checked all aspects of the service. Events such as safeguarding matters, accidents and incidents had been reported to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and other relevant agencies as required. Complaints brought to the provider's attention had been dealt with in accordance with the complaints procedure.

The Stratfords Residential Home provides accommodation and personal care for up to 12 older people and people with dementia care needs. At the time of our inspection, the service was providing support to 8 people.

The service had a registered manager. 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 felt safe. Staff had an understanding of abuse and the safeguarding procedures that should be followed to report abuse and people had risk assessments in place to enable them to be as independent as possible.

Effective recruitment processes were in place and followed by the service and there were sufficient numbers of staff available to meet people’s care and support needs

Medicines were stored, handled and administered safely within the service and the processes in place ensured that the administration and handling of medicines was suitable for the people who used the service.

Staff received a comprehensive induction process and on-going training. They were well supported by the registered manager and had regular one to one time for supervisions.

People’s consent was gained before any care was provided and people were supported to make decisions about all aspects of their life; this was underpinned by the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. Staff were very knowledgeable of this guidance and correct processes were in place to protect people

People were able to choose the food and drink they wanted and staff supported people with this.

People were supported to access health appointments when necessary, and had good access to health professionals as required

Staff supported people in a warm and caring manner. They knew the people they were supporting well and understood their requirements for care.

People were involved in their own care planning and were able to contribute to the way in which they were supported.

People’s privacy and dignity was maintained at all times.

People were encouraged to express which activities they would like to take part in, and were given the opportunity to take part in take part social interests of their choice.

The service had a complaints procedure in place that people and their families were aware of and knew how to use.

Quality monitoring systems and processes were used effectively to drive future improvement and identify where action was needed.