The Malthouse Care Home

Updated 26 October 2022

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

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 inspection was carried out by one inspector and an Expert by Experience.

Service and service type

The Malthouse Care 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. The Malthouse Care Home is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

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 last inspection. 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. 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 five people who used the service and three relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with seven members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager, area manager, team leader, carers and kitchen staff. We received written feedback from eight staff including care team leaders, carers, maintenance, head chef, administration and activities. We received feedback from two health care professionals who work with the home. We made general observations throughout the inspection, noting care practices and interactions between staff and people.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people's care plans. We looked at multiple medication records and three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. We looked at a variety of records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 26 October 2022

About the service

The Malthouse Care Home is registered to provide residential care, for older people. The home can accommodate up to 34 people. At the time of the inspection there were 30 people using the service.

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

People told us they felt safe living at The Malthouse Care Home. A health and social care professional said people were "genuinely in safe hands."

People had personalised and regularly reviewed risk assessments which helped to minimise risk related to areas of their lives such as mobility, dietary intake and skin integrity.

The service was working within the principles of the MCA and if needed, appropriate legal authorisations were in place to deprive a person of their liberty.

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.

Medicines were managed safely and were only administered by staff with the relevant training and competency checks. People told us they received their medicines on time and as prescribed.

There were enough suitably trained staff on shift to meet people’s needs. Staffing levels had recently increased. People told us they were supported in a timely way. Our observations confirmed this.

Accidents and incidents were reported and analysed to identify any themes and trends. This helped prevent a re-occurrence. Learning was shared within the home and between sister homes.

Although staff said they felt appreciated by the management within the home there was mixed feedback from staff about provider recognition of their work. We raised this with the provider for follow up. A staff survey was currently underway.

The home had a friendly, open and supportive culture. Staff said they felt proud to work for The Malthouse Care Home and described the culture as "like a family."

People and relatives described the registered manager and deputy manager as approachable and keen to resolve issues when raised. Staff said the registered manager had brought a number of improvements since coming to the home including increased staffing levels and improved activities provision.

Staff were actively encouraged and supported to gain new skills and qualifications.

Annual surveys were held to gain feedback from people and relatives which was analysed and used to drive improvement. Positive feedback had been received in a recent survey.

A health professional spoke positively about the home, felt it was well managed and described it as “a home from home.”

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 24 November 2017).

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.

The overall rating for the service has remained good based on the findings of this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for The Malthouse Care 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.