• Care Home
  • Care home

Archived: Polebrook Nursing Home

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Morgans Close, Polebrook, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE8 5LU (01832) 273256

Provided and run by:
Birchester Medicare Limited

Important: The provider of this service changed. See new profile

All Inspections

9 June 2016

During a routine inspection

The inspection was unannounced and took place on the 09 June 2016. This was the second comprehensive inspection carried out at Polebrook Nursing Home.

Polebrook Nursing Home is a large residential home with nursing, which is owned and managed by Birchester Medicare. It provides nursing care and support for up to 52 people. This includes people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 48 people using the service.

The service has a registered manager. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The staff team were passionate about providing a service that placed people and their families at the centre of their care. Without exception, people and relatives praised the staff for their caring, compassionate and professional approach. Everyone we spoke with said that staff went over and beyond what was expected of them and they were like family. Staff ensured confidentiality was maintained and people’s privacy and dignity was promoted.

Staff were trained to protect people from potential abuse and harm. They knew how to recognise signs of abuse and how to use the whistleblowing procedure. Risk assessments were centred on the needs of the individual and any potential risks to people had been identified. We saw that risk management plans had been completed to enable them to live as safely and independently as possible. Robust recruitment checks took place in order to establish that staff were safe to work with people before they commenced employment. There were sufficient numbers of staff available to meet people’s care and support needs. Suitable arrangements were in place for the safe management of medicines and these were consistently followed to ensure people received their medicines safely.

Staff received good support and training and were knowledgeable about their roles and responsibilities. They were provided with ongoing training to update their skills and knowledge to support people with their care needs. . Staff sought people's consent to care and treatment which was in line with current legislation. People were supported to eat and drink sufficient amounts to ensure their dietary needs were met. Staff supported people to attend healthcare appointments and liaised with their GP and other healthcare professionals as required.

People received care that was responsive to their needs and centred on them as individuals. Their needs were assessed and care plans gave clear guidance on how they were to be supported. Records showed that people and their relatives were involved in the assessment process and review of their care. A wide and varied range of activities was on offer for people to participate in if they wished. The service had an effective complaints procedure in place and we saw appropriate systems for responding to any complaints the service received. Staff were responsive to people’s worries, anxieties and concerns and acted promptly to resolve them.

Systems were in place which continuously assessed and monitored the quality of the service, including obtaining feedback from people who used the service and their relatives. Records showed that systems for recording and managing complaints, safeguarding concerns and incidents and accidents were managed well. The registered manager took steps to learn from such events and put measures in place which meant lessons were learnt and they were less likely to happen again.

Staff enjoyed working at the service and felt well supported in their roles. They told us the registered manager was an excellent role model and there were systems in place to develop staff and promote reflective practice. There was a culture of openness and inclusion at the service and we found a caring and positive atmosphere amongst the staff team. This was reflected in the way staff supported people and each other.

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08 June 2015

During an inspection looking at part of the service

Polebrook Nursing Home is a registered to provide accommodation and care, including nursing care for up to 51 people. Some of the people accommodated in the home are living with dementia. The home is owned and managed by Birchester Medicare.

There was a registered manager in post at the time of the inspection. 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.

We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection of this service on 6 August 2014. A breach of a legal requirement was found. This was because some staff had not completed all the training they needed to give them the knowledge and skills to provide and meet people’s needs. During the inspection we also noted that improvements were needed in relation to alternative menu choices, individual hobbies and activities and the Quality Assurance process.

After the comprehensive inspection, the provider wrote to us to say what they would do to make the necessary improvements.

We undertook a focused inspection on the 8 June 2015 to check if the required improvements had been made.

This report only covers our findings in relation to these topics. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Polebrook Nursing Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

At our focused inspection on 08 June 2015, we found that the provider had followed their plan, which they had told us would be completed by 05 February 2015 and the legal requirements had been met.

Staff told us, and records showed that suitable arrangements were in place to ensure that appropriate training had been completed by staff. The competency of staff had been checked.

People were able to make choices about the meals provided in the home. Daily surveys of meals and meetings with people meant changes to menus were made by the cook when necessary.

People were offered a wide range of individual and group interests and activities.

Polebrook Nursing Home is a registered to provide accommodation and care, including nursing care for up to 51 people. Some of the people accommodated in the home are living with dementia. The home is owned and managed by Birchester Medicare.

There was a registered manager in post at the time of the inspection. 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.

We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection of this service on 6 August 2014. A breach of a legal requirement was found. This was because some staff had not completed all the training they needed to give them the knowledge and skills to provide and meet people’s needs. During the inspection we also noted that improvements were needed in relation to alternative menu choices, individual hobbies and activities and the Quality Assurance process.

After the comprehensive inspection, the provider wrote to us to say what they would do to make the necessary improvements.

We undertook a focused inspection on the 8 June 2015 to check if the required improvements had been made.

This report only covers our findings in relation to these topics. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Polebrook Nursing Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

At our focused inspection on 08 June 2015, we found that the provider had followed their plan, which they had told us would be completed by 05 February 2015 and the legal requirements had been met.

Staff told us, and records showed that suitable arrangements were in place to ensure that appropriate training had been completed by staff. The competency of staff had been checked.

People were able to make choices about the meals provided in the home. Daily surveys of meals and meetings with people meant changes to menus were made by the cook when necessary.

People were offered a wide range of individual and group interests and activities.

6 August 2014

During a routine inspection

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 and to pilot a new inspection process being introduced by CQC which looks at the overall quality of the service.

The inspection was unannounced.

At our last inspection that took place in June 2013 there were no breaches of legal requirements of the five regulations inspected.

Polebrook Nursing Home is a large residential home with nursing, which is owned and managed by Birchester Medicare. It is registered to provide accommodation for people who require nursing or personal care and treatment of disease, disorder and injury for up to 51 people. There were 45 people living in the home when we visited.

There was a registered manager for the home. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service and has the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law; as does the provider.

Although staff had undergone an induction and training, there were further computer training courses that needed to be completed such as food hygiene/handling, first aid, palliative care/end of life and prevention and control of infection. This indicated some staff had not completed all the training to give them the knowledge and skills to provide and meet people’s needs, which meant there had been a breach of regulation.

CQC is required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and to report on what we find. We saw information that best interest assessments had been completed for some people who lacked capacity. We found the location was meeting the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

Although people told us there were not always enough staff in the home we observed that the number of staff during the inspection, together with looking at the rota, showed there were enough staff available to meet people’s needs. There were extra staff on duty at times when people needed more assistance. During the inspection we noted that people’s alarms were answered quickly.

People who needed to use the hoist had commented that the manoeuvre was uncomfortable, although no complaints had been made to the registered manager. The registered manager intended to review the care plans and give further training and check competency of staff so that people’s wellbeing was maintained.

All the people we spoke with, and their relatives, said the care was good and staff were caring. However they told us that they had found problems when communicating with staff as many did not have the same first language as they did. Staff told us they had been given English lessons and we found that most were able to converse well. There were always staff on duty whose first language was English therefore people could be confident they could be understood.

We saw that people had access to a wide variety of health professionals who were requested appropriately and who provided information and plans to maintain people’s health and wellbeing.

People and their families told us there were not enough for them to participate in during the day.. We found that even though there were two full time and one part time staff members responsible for leading on activities, improvements were needed to ensure people were supported to pursue their hobbies and interests.

There were systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service but there were no action plans available to demonstrate that actions had been taken to address any shortfalls identified. The 2014 quality assurance questionnaires were not due to be collated until September.

People who used the service, their relatives and staff told us they would be confident raising any concerns with the management and that action would be taken.

You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.

17 May 2013

During a routine inspection

During our visit we used a Short Observational Framework for Inspection tool (SOFI) to help us see what people's experiences were. The SOFI tool allows us to spend time watching what is going on in a service and helps us to record how people spend their time and whether they have positive experiences. This includes looking at the support that is given to them by the staff.

We observed staff talking with and assisting people throughout the day, this was done with the peoples' privacy and dignity in mind and showed the staffs' awareness of peoples individual support needs. Care plans are descriptive and easy to follow, and when we asked staff were aware of people's needs.

We spoke with a number of people living in the service and a number of visiting relatives, though none of those we spoke with made any comment regarding their care in the home.

We looked at how medicines are administered and found that this is well administered, apart from the frequency of audits to ensure stock control and balances are correct.

We saw the planned refurbishment programme has commenced which will alter a number of areas within the home.

25 January 2013

During a routine inspection

We observed staff talking with and assisting people throughout the day, this was done with the peoples' privacy and dignity in mind and showed the staffs' awareness of peoples individual support needs.

We spoke with a number of people living in the service and a number of visiting relatives. One of the people using the service stated 'the staff always provide you with something you like, even if its' not on the menu.' And another 'There is lots of entertainment, I especially like John Dove he sings and plays the organ; you are always get fish on a Friday, but they offer alternatives.' On our tour around the home we noted a number of sitting and dining rooms. There have been a number of areas decorated recently and the programme is continuing with planned refurbishments of some bathing areas. There is regular maintenance of the equipment in the home where internal staff and a number of external contractors are used to ensure this is safe for use. Toilets, bathrooms and bedrooms have privacy locks in place. The recruitment process is well documented to ensure people are safe. Staff receive regular training to ensure people are cared for safely.

We spoke with staff and they were able to tell us how people living in the home should be safeguarded and were aware how to follow this up with outside agencies were this necessary.

We noted that there are a number of floor coverings needing to be replaced as they do not provide safe conditions.

8 February 2012

During an inspection in response to concerns

There were 49 people living at the service when we visited on 8 February 2012. We spoke with three people living at Polebrook Nursing Home, five relatives and three members of staff to ask for their comments. We spent some time in communal areas of the home with people, observing and assessing the quality of support they received.

When asked about the home, one relative said, 'it's great'. Another said, 'the staff are brilliant'. People who live at Polebrook Nursing Home we spoke with said that they were supported well by staff. One person said, 'it's a lovely home'.