Loxley Chase

Updated 2 December 2020

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 care homes with outbreaks of coronavirus, we are conducting reviews to ensure that the Infection Prevention and Control practice was safe and the service was compliant with IPC measures. This was a targeted inspection looking at the IPC practices the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 12 November 2020 and was announced.

Updated 2 December 2020

This inspection took place on 10 January 2018 and was unannounced. This meant the provider and staff did not know we would be visiting.

At the last inspection in April 2016 the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

Loxley Chase Care Home 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. At the time of our inspection 30 people were using the service.

There was a registered manager in place. 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. The registered manager was also one of the owners and registered providers of the service.

People and their relatives told us staff kept them safe. Risks to people were assessed and plans put in place to reduce the chances of them occurring. Plans were in place to provide a continuity of care in emergency situations that disrupted the service. The provider had infection control policies in place. Medicines were managed safely. People were safeguarded from abuse. The provider and registered manager monitored staffing levels to ensure there were enough staff to support people safely. The provider’s recruitment process reduced the risk of unsuitable staff being employed.

People and their relatives told us staff had the knowledge and skills needed to provide effective care. Staff were supported with regular training, supervisions and appraisals. 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. People were supported to maintain a healthy diet and to access external professionals to monitor and promote their health. The premises were adapted to meet the needs of people living there.

People and their relatives described staff as kind and caring and spoke positively about the support they provided. We saw numerous examples of kind and caring support being delivered during our inspection. Staff treated people with dignity and respect and promoted people’s independence. Care plans contained personalised information to ensure people’s needs were met in a way which reflected their individuality and identity. Policies and procedures were in place to arrange advocacy services where needed.

People and their relatives said staff provided personalised care that responded to people’s preferences and needs. Care was planned and delivered on the basis of people’s assessed needs and preferences. Policies and procedures were in place to support people being discharged from the service. People were supported to access activities they enjoyed. Policies and procedures were in place to support people with end of life care. The provider had a complaints policy, and people and their relatives said they were aware of it and knew how to raise any issues they had.

Staff spoke positively about the culture and values of the service and said they were supported by the provider and registered manager. People and their relatives spoke positively about the management of the service. Feedback was sought from people and their relatives through an annual survey and at regular meetings. Regular staff meetings took place, and staff said they found these supportive. The registered manager and provider carried out a number of quality assurance checks to monitor and improve standards at the service. The provider was working on a number of projects to enhance the wellbeing and quality of life of people living at the service. The registered manager had informed CQC of significant events in a timely way by submitting the required notifications. This meant we could check that appropriate action had been taken.