West Cotes Residential Care Home

Updated 12 May 2021

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 Care Act 2014.

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 completed by one inspector

Service and service type

West Cotes Residential home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

Notice of inspection

We gave a short period of notice of the inspection. This was because due to the COVID-19 pandemic we wanted to reduce the amount of time spent in the service. Therefore, management team needed time to prepare documentation before the visit.

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. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.

During the inspection

We spoke the registered manager and reviewed a range of records. This included five people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision and a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We spoke with two members of staff and three relatives. We did this after the inspection to minimise our time in the home due to the risks associated with COVID-19.

Updated 12 May 2021

About the service

West Cotes Residential Care Home is a care home providing personal care to 10 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 17 people.

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

Most infection control guidance was being followed. However, staff were not consistently checking their temperatures at the start of each shift.

Management of the home had improved and audits were in place. However, some planned actions were vague. More time was needed to ensure that the systems to monitor care were embedded in the management of the home.

Relatives felt their loved one was safe living at the home. Risks were identified and managed, including those relating to medicines and nutrition. Appropriate checks were undertaken to ensure staff were safe to work with people living at the home.

Staff had received training to ensure they could meet people’s needs safely and there were enough staff available to provide timely care to people. 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 ensured that people were able to make choices in their everyday lives and respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff took time to get to know the people they cared for.

Care plans reflected people’s needs and identified any communication needs they may have. People had been supported to maintain contact with their relatives through the COVID-19 pandemic. There had been no complaints made to the service.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 07/01/2020, it was inspected in August 2020 and December 2020 but not rated.

The provider was required to make improvements after the August 2020 inspection. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

The last rating for the service under the previous provider was Inadequate, published on 08/11/2019.

Why we inspected

This inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection. We completed a comprehensive inspection as the service had not been rated at the last inspection.

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.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information 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.