Springfield House Residential Care Home

Updated 30 October 2019

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.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by an inspector and an Expert 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

Springfield house is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as 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

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with nine people who used the service and five relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with eight members of staff including the registered manager, administrative assistant, a domestic worker, the cook, the team leader and three care workers. We also spoke with a visiting GP and vicar.

We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and ten medication records. We looked at one staff recruitment file and staff supervision records. We observed administration of medicines and checked medicine storage arrangements, policies and procedures, medicines audits and records. We spoke with one member of staff about medicines. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

Updated 30 October 2019

Springfield House is a residential care home providing personal care to 21 people predominantly older people. The service can support up to 23 people. It is an older style property situated in it’s own grounds in a village location.

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

People received their medicines safely in the way prescribed for them. Some improvements were being planned to make sure that best practice guidance was incorporated into the home’s medicines policies and practice. We have made a recommendation about this in the report.

When people were at risk of harm, assessments were in place alongside guidance for staff on how to mitigate the risk. Staff had completed safeguarding training and were confident any concerns would be dealt with.

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 received an induction when they first started working at the service. Training was updated regularly although we did identify gaps in training for the Mental Capacity Act (2005). The registered manager assured us they would make sure this was completed. Staff had received an annual appraisal since our previous inspection. Not all staff had completed a recent supervision meeting. We have made a recommendation about this in the report.

The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly. Staff spent time chatting to people and were enthusiastic about their role. There were enough staff to meet people's needs. People and relatives told us staff were quick to respond to requests for assistance and were kind and helpful.

People spent time taking part in activities that reflected their interests. Some people disliked group activities preferring to stay in their rooms. Staff checked on these people regularly.

The registered manager was highly visible in the service and staff told us they were approachable and would listen to any concerns they had. Daily handovers were held to enable staff to keep up to date with any changes in people’s needs. Staff meetings were not held and staff told us they felt this was an area for improvement.

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 was requires improvement (report published 30 October 2018) and there were breaches of the regulations. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve.

At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

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.