Westbank Care Home

Updated 12 January 2023

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one 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

Westbank Care Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Westbank Care Home is a care home with nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations. At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post. The registered manager was not available on the day of our inspection, but another experienced manager had taken responsibility for leading the team.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we received about the service since the last inspection. This included details about incidents the provider must notify us about, such as serious injuries. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used information gathered as part of our monitoring activity that took place on 11 October 2022. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 7 people who lived in the service and 2 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We also received feedback from 6 relatives as part of our recent direct monitoring activity. We observed multiple interactions between people and staff throughout the day. We spoke with 8 members of staff including the manager, clinical lead, nurses, care staff and a range of support staff. We reviewed a range of records including 5 peoples’ care records and multiple medication records. We looked at 3 staff recruitment files. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were reviewed including health and safety checks, meeting notes, training records and audits.

Updated 12 January 2023

About the service

Westbank Care Home is a care home providing accommodation with nursing and personal care for up to 40 people. Peoples’ needs were varied and included people with nursing needs and people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 37 people using the service. Accommodation is provided on one level with four different wings and communal areas, for example lounge and dining room.

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

People told us they felt safe and were happy living in Westbank Care Home. One person said, “Oh yes I feel safe, I like the windows open, but they only go so far, and I have my call bell.” Another person said, “Oh yes I’m safe. I’m just comfortable. Everybody is very nice.” Relatives agreed. One relative said, “My [relative] is safe living here and they have always been happy living here. I think that shows they feel safe.”

Risks were managed and staff had enough information to keep people safe. People received safe care and support from staff who knew them well. Medicines and infection control were both managed safely, and lessons were learned when things went wrong. There were enough staff deployed to meet peoples’ assessed needs.

People were involved in decisions about their care and they received care which promoted their dignity and encouraged independence. One relative said their relative was given as much independence as possible.

Effective quality assurance processes were in place to monitor the service and regular audits were undertaken. Staff had received appropriate training. A new manager had been appointed since our last inspection and staff told us they found them approachable and supportive with an open-door policy. Nurses told us they had good support from their clinical lead.

People using the service and relatives all spoke positively about Westbank Care Home and the staff. One relative said, “I would have no hesitation in recommending the excellent care offered at Westbank Care Home to anyone.” People and relatives described staff as kind, understanding, caring and patient.

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

The last rating for this service was good (published 14 January 2020).

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

The overall rating for the service remains good based on the findings of this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Westbank Care Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.