About the service St Anthony’s is a residential care home, at the time of the inspection were providing personal care to 36 older people who may also be living with dementia. The service can support up to 39 people.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
There were a lack of effective systems and processes in place to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the services provided. Regular audits were not taking place which would provide the management with reassurances that people were being cared for safely and in line with their care needs. Accidents and incidents were not routinely analysed and opportunities were lost for lessons to be learnt. Medicine management protocols were not routinely followed including ensuring the safe storage of medicines. Risk assessments were lacking in detail and did not provide staff with the detailed information on how to support people safely.
People felt safe and were supported by staff who had received training in how to recognise signs of abuse.
People were involved in the planning of their care and were supported by a consistent group of staff who felt well trained and supported in their role. Staff were provided with opportunities to raise any concerns they may have and felt their voice was heard. Staff were confident that if they did raise concerns, they would be responded to and acted on appropriately.
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 obtained people’s consent prior to offering support.
People were happy with the care and support they received and were complimentary about the service.
People commented positively about food that was on offer and were provided with a choice of meals on a daily basis. People had access to drinks throughout the day to ensure they remained hydrated.
Staff were aware of people’s healthcare needs and liaised with other healthcare professionals to support their wellbeing.
Staff treated people with dignity and respect and were mindful of respecting people’s privacy. People described staff as ‘kind, caring and compassionate’. Staff knew people well, took the time to interact with them, listen to them and ensure they were involved in decisions regarding their care.
People were involved in making choices about their care and support on a daily basis. Staff knew people well and what they told us was reflected in people’s care records.
People were supported and encouraged to take part in a variety of activities that were of interest to them. Efforts were made to ensure people were supported to maintain friendships and relationships with family members and access the community on a regular basis. People living at the service had a voice. They were listened to, their opinions mattered and were noted and responded to.
People had no complaints and were highly complimentary of the service. Where complaints had been received they had been responded to appropriately and action was taken.
People were very happy with the service they received and considered it to be well-led. The provider was a well known figure throughout the service and was highly thought of by people living at the service, relatives and staff alike.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
The last rating for this service was Good (published 5 October 2016)
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the ‘Safe’ and ‘Well Led’ sections of this full report.
You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.
During the inspection, we found the provider took action to mitigate the risks identified
The overall rating for the service has changed from Good to Requires Improvement. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for St Anthony’s Residential Home (Erdington) on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Enforcement
We have identified a breach in relation to good governance at this inspection. The provider did not have systems and processes in place which would provide them with full oversight of the service.
Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.
Follow up
We will request an action plan for the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.