Stoke Knoll Rest Home

Updated 5 February 2021

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of CQC's response to the coronavirus pandemic we are looking at the preparedness of care homes in relation to infection prevention and control. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 21 January 2021 and was announced.

Updated 5 February 2021

This inspection took place on 8 and 10 November 2017 and was unannounced. The home provides accommodation for up to 25 older people with personal care needs. There were 21 people living at the home when we visited. All areas of the home were accessible via stairs equipped with electric stair lifts and there were lounges/dining rooms on the ground floor of the home. There was accessible outdoor space from the ground floor.

There was a registered manager at the home. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the service is run.

The registered manager was dedicated and passionate in their role. They knew people’s needs well and were prominently involved in the day to day running of the service. Staff were friendly and patient in their approach with people and understood about their preferences, routines and the support they needed to maintain important relationships.

Staff were aware of their responsibilities in keeping people safe from harm and treated people with dignity and respect. People were encouraged to be as independent as possible and the service provided a range of activities to keep people stimulated and active.

The service was accessible and comfortable for people. There was access to a range of communal and garden spaces which people were free to use. There was a friendly, warm atmosphere at the service which encouraged people to make friends and participate in events and activities run by staff

Staff understood the need to gain consent and followed legislation designed to protect people’s rights and freedoms. Staffs understood people’s individual needs and were able to make adjustments to ensure these needs were met. Where people received care at the end of their life, they were fully consulted and given choices about the care that was provided.

There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs and senior staff were available to provide extra support in the event that people required additional help. The provider had recruitment processes in place to help ensure suitable staff were employed and there was a training, induction and programme of supervision in place once in their role, which helped staff remain effective.

Risks to individuals were assessed and monitored. When incidents took place, the registered manager reflected on the events to ensure learning was embedded for future practice. People were supported to access healthcare services when required. The service had a good track record of working with different stakeholders in order to ensure people’s needs were met.

People told us they enjoyed the meal time experience at the service. There was a chef on site, who took the time to engage people in suggesting menu options to provide a varied and nutritious provision of food. People were monitored and encouraged with their eating and drinking where required and concerns about their health were quickly followed up with referrals to relevant professionals.

The registered manager sought feedback about the service in order to make improvements. There were examples were suggestions from people, relatives and staff had resulted in the implementation of changes to improve the service. There was a complaints policy in place which people felt comfortable using if they had concern.

The registered manager monitored the quality and safety of the service through a series of audits about key areas.