Background to this inspection
Updated
3 December 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
This inspection was carried out by two inspectors.
Service and service type
Albany House – Tisbury 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 who had started the process to register 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
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. Before the inspection we spoke with commissioners from the local authority for their feedback.
During the inspection
We spoke with eight people who use the service and two visiting professionals. We spoke with seven members of staff, including the manager and the nominated individual. We reviewed information relating to people’s care, including care plans for eight people and their daily records. Also, we looked at information about the management of the service, including three staff recruitment files, audits and team meeting minutes.
Updated
3 December 2019
About the service
Albany House - Tisbury is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to 15 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 19 people.
People had bedrooms with private bathroom facilities on the ground and first floor of the home. There were shared lounge, dining and conservatory areas. People had access to the garden.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Since the previous inspection there were some areas where further improvements were needed. There continued to be some shortfalls in ensuring the safe management of medicines. Also, some monitoring systems needed time to embed into practice. However, there were many areas of improvement found at this inspection. The previous deputy manager was working as the home manager. The manager was leading positive changes in the quality of care people received and how their care needs were documented.
People were supported by staff who knew them well. We observed kind, caring and respectful care interactions. People told us they liked the staff who cared for them.
People’s needs and preferences were assessed. People told us they had recently had reviews of their care, where they could give feedback about any changes they wished to have made. Care plans were in the process of being developed into a more modernised format. This would enable staff to have access to important information with ease.
At meal times people were offered a choice, from a recently introduced seasonal menu. People also had a choice of drinks and snacks throughout the day.
There was good community engagement. The service regularly held events where people from the community could visit and spend time with people in the home. The visiting priest told us how the home was an important part of the local village.
People liked the location of the home and different people told us they liked how from their bedroom they had good views.
There were meetings for people and staff to attend and share their views about the home. The meeting minutes showed people discussed the food, events, and their suggestions for the service.
The staff team had been through some changes and there had been a period of using agency staff. This had reduced and there was an improved culture of working together as a team with new staff joining the service.
The home was clean, tidy and free from bad odours throughout. People praised the standard of the laundry service.
The manager had plans for networking and broadening their understanding of how the service could continue to improve. They were supported by a recently appointed senior carer. People and staff spoke positively about how the management team led the home.
People’s mental capacity regarding decisions about their care was assessed. 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.
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 Inadequate (published 21 May 2019).
At the last inspection the service was in breach of regulations 12, 17, 18 and 19. The provider had 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.
This service has been in Special Measures since 1 April 2019. During this inspection the provider demonstrated that improvements have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate overall or in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will request a monthly action plan from the provider to identify what they will do to improve their rating to at least good. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress until we return to visit. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.