Background to this inspection
Updated
29 December 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.
Inspection team
The inspection team consisted of 1 inspector and 1 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
Sleaford Manor 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. Sleaford Manor is a care home [with/without] 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.
Notice of inspection
The inspection was unannounced
What we did before the inspection
The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
During the inspection
During the inspection we spoke with 8 people and 6 relatives/visitors. We telephoned 2 relatives during the inspection. We spoke with the activities co-ordinator, the head housekeeper, 2 kitchen staff and the maintenance person. We spoke with 7 care staff, one of the deputy managers, the registered manager, the operational manager and the Nominated Individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.
We reviewed documentation related to the running of the service including quality assurance documentation. We also reviewed 5 care plans and a number of medication records. We undertook observations of staff practice and the mealtime experience.
Updated
29 December 2023
About the service
Sleaford Manor is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to up to 70 people. The service provides support to older people, younger adults, people living with dementia, people with a physical disability or sensory impairment. At the time of our inspection there were 38 people using the service.
People’s experience of the service and what we found:
People living at the service were safe as the provider had systems and processes in place to ensure risks to their safety were assessed and mitigated. Nationally recognised assessment tools were used to ensure people’s individual needs were met.
Staff understood their responsibilities around safeguarding people from potential abuse. Incidents and accidents were reviewed to ensure learning from these events took place.
People’s medicines were managed safely and the registered manager had robust processes in place to manage any medicines errors to reduce the risk of recurrence.
Staffing levels matched the needs of the people living at the service and the provider worked with staff and the registered manager to ensure the changing needs of the service was reflected in the staffing levels. There were safe recruitment processes in place.
The risk of infection at the service was reduced as the staff followed safe infection prevention and control practices and there were robust cleaning schedules in place.
Staff undertook appropriate training for their roles and the management team undertook regular one to one supervision sessions with staff to support them.
People’s nutritional and health needs were well managed.
People lived in a purpose-built building and enjoyed living in an environment which offered facilities of a high standard.
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.
Staff supported people worked in a caring way. People felt respected by staff.
People received care in a person centred way which supported their independence. They were encouraged to maintain relationships with their friends and families. People enjoyed a range of social activities at the service and people had established friendships with other people using the service.
People and relatives felt the communication at the service was good and if they had any complaints these were well managed.
The registered manager and provider reviewed all aspects of people’s care using robust quality assurance processes. These processes highlighted what was going well and what required improving. Where areas of improvement had been identified we saw actions had been taken.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The service was registered with us on 9 June 2023 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about staffing levels at the service. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.
Follow Up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.