Davenham Hall Nursing Home

Updated 18 March 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 5th March 2021 and was announced.

Updated 18 March 2021

What life was like for people using the service:

Since the previous inspection Davenham Hall has undergone some refurbishments. The unit manager for The Barns (specialist dementia unit within Davenham Hall) told us of their plans to create an environment that was meaningful for people living with dementia; some of these plans had already been implemented during our inspection.

The atmosphere within Davenham Hall was calm and homely; the management team and staff had developed strong, familiar and positive relationships with people and family members. Throughout the inspection the registered manager, management team and staff were observed to be warm and affectionate towards people and often displayed intimate physical contact that was appropriate and accepting from people.

Staff showed a genuine motivation to deliver care in a person centred way based on people’s preferences and likes. People were treated with kindness, compassion and respect. Staff used techniques to help relax people with positive outcomes. Everyone we spoke with told us Davenham Hall was a homely place to live and visit and staff told us it was like ‘home from home’.

People told us they felt safe living at the service and family members were confident their relatives were kept safe. Risks that people faced were identified and assessed and measures put in place to manage them and minimise the risk of harm occurring. Staff showed a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities for keeping people safe from harm. Medicines were managed safely and people received medication at the right time. The environment was safe and people had access to appropriate equipment where needed.

Sufficient numbers of suitably qualified and skilled staff were deployed to meet people’s individual needs. Only agency staff employed by the registered provider were used to cover any shortfalls in staffing levels to ensure that consistent staff were used to support people. Staff received a range training and support appropriate to their role and people's needs.

People’s needs and choices were assessed and planned for. Care plans identified intended outcomes for people and how they were to be met in a way they preferred. People told us they received all the right care and support from staff who were well trained and competent at what they did. People received the right care and support to maintain good nutrition and hydration and their healthcare needs were understood and met. People who were able consented to their care and support. Where people lacked capacity to make their own decisions they were made in their best interest in line with the Mental Capacity Act.

People received personalised care and support which was in line with their care plan. People, family members and others knew how to make a complaint and they were confident about complaining should they need to. They were confident that their complaint would be listened to and acted upon quickly.

The leadership of the service promoted a positive culture that was person centred and inclusive. People, family members and staff all described the registered manager as supportive and approachable. The management team showed a continued desire to improve on the service and worked closely with other agencies and healthcare professionals in order to do this. Effective systems were in place to check on the quality and safety of the service and improvements were made when required.

More information is in Detailed Findings below

Rating at last inspection: Good (report published 11 January 2016)

About the service: Davenham Hall is situated approximately half a mile from Davenham village centre. The main house has 31 single bedrooms and four shared rooms. A separate unit named The Barns, provides care for people living with dementia. This has 27 single bedrooms all with en-suite facilities.

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection. The service remained rated Good overall.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.