Esk Hall Care Home

Updated 9 April 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 COVID-19 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 22 March 2021 and was announced.

Updated 9 April 2021

This inspection took place on 28 November 2017 and was unannounced. This meant the registered provider did not know we would be visiting the service. A second day of inspection took place on 7 December 2017 and this was announced.

Esk Hall Care Home is a residential home that is registered to provide accommodation for up to 20 older people who may be living with dementia. The home is situated in Sleights just outside Whitby. Accommodation is provided over three floors, all of which can be accessed by a lift.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

There was a manager in post who had registered with CQC. On the first day of inspection, they were not available. On the second day of inspection, they were present at the service. One of the directors and care manager assisted throughout the inspection.

Safe recruitment processes had been followed and appropriate pre-employment checks had been completed before employment commenced. Staff were aware of the safeguarding process and the action they should take if they had any concerns. Safeguarding information was displayed around the service and risk assessments had been developed when needed to reduce the risk of harm occurring. There was enough staff on duty to support people safely.

Medicines had been stored and administered safely by competent staff. Staff had access to personal protective equipment and staff promoted good infection control practices.

An induction process was in place which was completed by all new staff. Staff had been provided with regular training to maintain their knowledge and skills. Staff were supported by management, regular supervisions, observations of working practices and appraisals.

Where needed, people were supported to maintain a balanced diet. People told us they had access to their own preferred GP and other healthcare professionals.

People were empowered to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. Policies and systems in the service support this practice. Consent to care and treatment was clearly documented and appropriate authorisations were in place when people lacked capacity to make decisions.

People were treated with dignity and their choices were respected by staff. People spoke positively about the caring nature of staff and the support they received.

Care records were person-centred and made reference to people’s preferences, their abilities and the support they required. They had been reviewed on a regular basis to ensure they continued to meet people’s needs and supported their aspirations. The use of technology was available to enable people to remain in contact with relatives who did not live locally. A complaints procedure was in place and people knew how to report any concerns.

People gave us positive feedback about the management team. There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service. People were given the opportunity to feedback about the quality of care they received. We saw the management team responded in a timely manner to any feedback provided to enable the service to continuously improve.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.