St Margarets Care Home

Updated 26 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 COVID-19 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 10 March 2021 and was announced.

Updated 26 March 2021

St Margarets Care Home provides accommodation and personal care for up to 16 adults, some of whom may be living with dementia. The home is situated over three floors with stairs and a stair lift to access upper floors. Two bedrooms were shared; single sex, double occupancy rooms and six bedrooms have an en suite with a basin and toilet. There were communal bathroom and toilet facilities for people who do not have an en suite within their room. There are a number of communal areas within the home and an enclosed garden for people and their visitors to use. At the time of our inspection there were 15 people living at the service.

This unannounced inspection was carried out on 7 September 2017. At the last inspection on 28 October 2016, the service was rated as ‘requires improvement.’ At this inspection we found that the service had continued to make the necessary improvements.

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 (CQC) 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.

Staff assisted people in a way that promoted their safety and people were looked after by staff in a kind and caring manner. Staff encouraged people to make their own choices. People’s privacy and dignity was promoted and maintained by staff.

Staff were knowledgeable of how to report incidents of harm and poor care. Staff were trained to provide effective and safe care. People were supported to take their medicines as prescribed and medicines were managed by staff whose competency had been assessed.

People and their relatives / advocates were involved in the setting up and agreement of their/their family members care plans. People’s care records took account of people’s wishes and any assistance they required. The majority of risks to people who lived at the service were identified and plans were put into place by staff to minimise and monitor these risks. However, not all risks to people had been formally assessed.

People were looked after by enough, suitably qualified staff to support them safely with their individual needs. There was a documented process to determine safe staffing levels in conjunction with people’s assessed dependency needs.

People were supported to eat and drink sufficient amounts of food and fluids. Staff monitored people’s health and well-being needs and acted upon issues identified. Staff supported people to access a range of external health care services where needed and people’s individual health needs were met.

Activities took place at the service; however, some people felt that the number and type of activities taking place could be increased/ improved to enhance social interactions.

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 enjoyed their work and were supported by the registered and deputy managers. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities and were supported to maintain their skills by way of supervision and appraisal. Pre-employment checks were completed on new staff members before they were deemed to be suitable to look after people living at the service.

The service was responsive and flexible to people’s needs. People maintained contact with their relatives and friends and they were encouraged to visit the service and were made very welcome by staff.

There was an ‘open’ culture within the home. This was because there was a process in place so that people’s concerns and complaints could be listened to and acted upon. Wherever possible, complaints were resolved to the complainants’ satisfaction.

Arrangements were in place to ensure the quality of the service provided for people was regularly monitored. People who lived at the service, their relatives and staff were encouraged to share their views and feedback about the quality of the care and support provided. Actions were taken as a result to drive forward any improvements required.