Background to this inspection
Updated
10 March 2022
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 how services manage infection control and visiting arrangements. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection prevention and control measures the provider had in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.
This inspection took place on 21 February 2022 and was announced. We gave the service two days’ notice of the inspection.
Updated
10 March 2022
This inspection took place on 18 and 19 September 2018. It was an unannounced visit to the service.
We previously inspected the service on the 10 and 11 August 2017. The service was rated Requires Improvement at the time. At that inspection we found breaches of the Regulations of the Health and Social Care Act 2008. We found people were not always protected from fire as staff did not know how to support people in the event of a fire. Staff were not always supported in line with provider’s expectations. We asked the provider to complete an action plan to show what they would do and by when to improve the key questions, Safe and Well-Led to at least good. At this inspection we found ongoing concerns about people’s safety due to a lack of action by the provider to rectify faults in fire doors and a lack of information readily available for staff on how to support people in the event of a fire. Identified actions from a water safety risk assessment had not been completed in a timely manner.
Pennefather Court is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
The care home is located in a residential area in the market town of Aylesbury. Accommodation comprised of individual bedrooms, two dining areas and a small lounge. People had access to a garden area which was being improved to provide more level access.
The service did not have a registered manager in post on the two days 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. However, within the same week of the inspection the manager in post had an interview with us to become the registered manager. We received confirmation following the inspection the manager had been successful at the interview and is now the registered manager. We have referred to the manager in post at the time of our visit to the service as the registered manager as the inspection process was still open.
We received mixed feedback about the risks associated with fire and if they had been managed appropriately. We have made a recommendation about this in the report.
People gave us positive feedback about their experience about living at the home. Comments included “Its more relaxed now, we get on together,” “They [Staff] have got time for you, everyone is so kind” and “The staff are excellent, very kind and caring.”
People were supported by staff who had been recruited safely. Staff were provided with training to ensure they had the right skills and experience to support people.
People were supported by staff who had developed a kind, compassionate and caring relationship with them. We observed positive interactions between people and staff, with lots of laughter and smiles.
People told us they had opportunities to undertake meaningful activities, both within the home and the local community. Each person had a one to one session each week with a member of staff.
People told us the registered manager and deputy manager worked well together and staff told us they felt valued and listened to.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff supported people to be involved in decisions about their care and support.