Archived: Seccombe Court

Updated 13 June 2023

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 team consisted of 3 inspectors and 2 Experts by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Seccombe Court 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. Seccombe Court is a care home with 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. 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 (PIR). 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 looked at notifications received from the provider. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law. This ensured we were addressing any areas of concern. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 17 people who used the service and 2 relatives. Some people living in the home could not verbally give us feedback. As such we looked around the home and observed the way staff interacted with people. We further received feedback from 7 relatives. We received feedback from 3 healthcare professionals. We looked at 10 people's care records and 6 medicine administration records (MAR). We spoke with the registered manager, deputy manager and 12 members of staff including nurses, carers, the chef, domestic staff, activities coordinator and maintenance person. We reviewed a range of records relating to people's care and the way the service was managed. These included staff training records, 5 staff recruitment files, quality assurance audits, incidents and accidents reports, complaints records, and records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 13 June 2023

About the service

Seccombe Court is a purpose-built residential care home providing personal and nursing care to up to 60 people. The home is spread across 2 floors and divided into 4 separate units each of which has separate adapted facilities. One of the units specialises in providing care to people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 57 people using the service.

This service has a dual registration which means there are two registered providers jointly managing the regulated activities at this single location. They are Care UK Community Partnerships Ltd and WT UK Opco 4 Limited. This means the service is subject to one inspection visit however the report is published on our website twice, under each provider.

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

Arrangements for social activities met people's individual needs and followed best practice guidance so people could live as full a life as possible. Activities were facilitated by a team led by an enthusiastic coordinator. The service had gone the extra mile to find out what people wished and evaluated whether it could accommodate activities and made them happen. The provider facilitated a ‘wish list’ where people could discuss their wishes and staff did all they could to grant those wishes. The service understood the needs of different people and delivered care and support in a way that met those needs. For example, staff recognised the need for engaging activities for people living with dementia such as pet therapy.

People told us they felt safe living at Seccombe Court. Staff knew how to identify and report any concerns. Planned staffing levels were met and recruitment was ongoing. There were sufficient staff deployed to meet people's needs. The provider had safe recruitment and selection processes in place.

Risks to people's safety and well-being were managed through a risk management process. The environment was clean and allowed free movement for people and their relatives. Medicines were managed safely, and people received their medicines as prescribed.

People and relatives told us staff were caring. Staff did all they could to promote people’s independence and we saw examples of this. People received personalised care, tailored to their individual needs and preferences, and staff supported people and their relatives to be involved with decisions relating to their care. People's privacy and dignity was upheld through the approaches taken by staff as well as in relation to the care environment, as people each had access to their own bedrooms with ensuite bathroom facilities.

People had a pleasant dining experience which offered a variety of food choices available at times that suited people’s preferences. Staff supported people to maintain food and fluid intakes. People’s feedback on food had been used to improve the dining experience.

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 had a particularly good understanding of when the principles of the Mental Capacity Act should be applied.

The home was well-led by a registered manager who was committed to improving people’s quality of life. There was a clear management structure in place and a group of staff who worked well as a team. The provider had clear oversight of the service and effective quality assurance systems in place that they used to monitor the quality and safety of the service. Staff worked well with external social and health care professionals.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service under the previous provider was good (Published 24 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.

Follow up

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