Meadows Court Care Home

On this page

• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

Significant improvements had been made since the last inspection and we found people now received safe care and support. The management of risks to people’s health, safety and wellbeing had improved and people were now being supported safely. The environment was now safe and clean. Environmental improvements had been made since the last inspection, including redecoration and dementia friendly signage and improvements were ongoing. Infection control processes now reflected good practice guidance and we found the service to be clean. Medicines management processes were safer and now reflected good practice. Staff recruitment had improved, and the provider now followed safe processes when recruiting new staff, to ensure they were suitable to support people living at the service. Staffing levels were appropriate to meet people’s needs and people were supported by staff who had the knowledge and skills to keep them safe. Staff had completed safeguarding training and knew how protect people from the risk of abuse and avoidable harm. When things went wrong, lessons were learned and shared with staff to help avoid similar incidents taking place again.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

People and relatives were happy with staff members’ knowledge and skills. They told us, “I am now much healthier and without the knowledge and skills of staff, it would not have happened” and “I know [person] is well looked after and I have no issues with the care she receives.”

Staff were happy with the training and support they received and told us they could request further training if they needed it. A staff member told us, “They check that you have done it (training), and I could definitely raise it if I needed more support. If I wanted more training, they would provide it.”

Records showed staff received the training necessary to meet people’s needs and staff competence to support people safely had been assessed.

People and relatives were happy that referrals were made to other agencies when specialist support was needed, including support with people's healthcare needs. A relative commented, “[Person] has access to a chiropodist, doctors and district nurses if anything is wrong. They are very good at getting someone in if [person] needs it.”

Staff were familiar with people's needs and risks and how to support them safely. A staff member commented, “We work alongside the GP and diabetic and district nurses that come in. We have a good relationship.”

A community professional told us staff always contacted their service in a timely way when specialist support was needed, and they followed any advice given. The professional was impressed with staff and told us any issues identified were addressed quickly.

The provider had safe systems and processes to ensure people's needs were met and their risks were managed safely. There were processes in place to ensure people could transition safely to and from the community.

People felt safe at the service and relatives told us people received safe care. They told us, “I feel safe at all times in my room and with all the staff who know my issues and worries” and “Never have I felt more protected and safe from all harm.”

Staff had completed safeguarding training and understood the action to take if they suspected abuse was taking place. A staff member told us, “I would contact my manager and raise a concern and document it. I would go higher or contact the safeguarding team if nothing happened. There are signs all around the home about whistle blowing and how to report abuse.”

We observed positive interactions between people and staff, including friendly conversation and physical affection. People looked relaxed and comfortable when staff were supporting them or speaking with them.

There were effective processes in place to ensure safeguarding incidents and concerns were managed and monitored appropriately.

People and relatives felt any risks to people’s health and wellbeing were managed well. A person told us, “I have been safer here than anywhere else, including my home. I know there is help in case I fall again and that is amazing.”

Staff discussed people's risks with them, or their relatives where appropriate, and monitored people's safety. Staff were able to give examples of how people had been supported to manage their risks and told us communal areas were monitored to ensure the risk of people falling was reduced.

We observed staff supporting people in a safe way when they needed support. People felt able to ask staff for help when they needed it.

People's care plans included information about their needs and risks to guide staff. Staff were aware of people's risks and how to support them safely. Specialist support from community agencies was sought when needed to manage people's risks effectively.

People and relatives felt the home environment was safe. They were happy with the improvements that had been made since the last inspection. A relative commented, “It’s definitely safe and in the last few months they have given it a new lease of life with decorating.” However, one relative felt the garden needed to be improved.

Staff told us improvements had been made to the home environment and there were procedures in place for the safe evacuation of people in the case of an emergency.

We saw that improvements had been made since the last inspection, which included maintenance and decoration. It had also been made more dementia friendly, to enable people to be as independent as possible. Further improvements were planned.

Fire safety was being managed appropriately. There were procedures in place for the safe evacuation of people in the case of an emergency. Regular safety checks of the home environment were completed to ensure people were not exposed to avoidable harm.

People and relatives told us there were enough staff available to provide people with support when they needed it. They felt staff were skilled and experienced. They told us, “There are always staff about and they always respond to buzzers” and “There is always plenty of staff on board when I visit.”

Staff knew people well and were clear about their roles and responsibilities. They felt there were sufficient staff for them to be able to keep people safe and provide support when people needed it. Some staff felt that additional staff during the day would enable them to engage more with people and take people out.

During our visit we observed there were sufficient staff at the service to meet people's needs and monitor their safety. When people needed support, staff were able to respond to them in a timely way.

Records showed appropriate pre-employment checks were completed before staff started working at the service, to ensure they were suitable for the role. Staff received the training and support needed to provide people with safe care which met their needs.

People and relatives were happy with the standard of cleanliness at the service. They told us cleaning was carried out regularly by staff. Relatives commented, “Every time I go up it looks spotless” and “They need to keep it up, as it is clean and well maintained now for the last six months.”

Staff understood the importance of good infection control and had access to personal protective equipment to help prevent the spread of infection.

We found the service clean and free of unpleasant odours. There were plenty of cleaning supplies available.

Safe infection prevention and control processes were in place. Audits and checks of cleanliness and infection control were completed regularly to ensure appropriate standards were being maintained.

People and relatives told us staff administered medicines as and when they should, including pain relief medicines. Staff discussed people’s medicines with them or their relatives when appropriate. Relatives told us, “I have seen them bringing [person’s] medication at set times, so I know she gets it” and “Sometimes the home rings me up and lets me know if they have changed anything.”

Staff had completed appropriate medicines training and their competence to administer medicines safely had been assessed. One staff member told us, “We get the online and in-house training and regular supervisions and checks. They will randomly check the (stock) levels and controlled drugs book.”

During our visit we found that medicines were being managed safely. The provider ensured that medicines processes at the service reflected national guidance. The stock levels we reviewed were found to be correct. Processes were in place to ensure people received ‘as required’ medicines when they needed them, for example pain relief medicines. A community professional told us medicines were managed safely at the service.