Archived: Springfield Park Nursing Home

Updated 25 November 2017

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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection was unannounced on the 10 October 2017 and was conducted by one adult social care inspector and an Expert by Experience. An adult social care inspector concluded the inspection on 11 October 2017. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service, specifically working with older people and people living with dementia.

We requested a provider information return which was returned to us in a timely. This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and any improvements they plan to make. We used the information the service provided to help plan the inspection.

Before our inspection visit we reviewed the information we held about the service. This included notifications the provider had made to us. Notifications tell us about any incidents or events that affect people who use the service. We also asked the local authority and Healthwatch Rochdale for any information they held on the service.

We spoke with three people who used the service in depth, eight people who used the service who had limited responses, four relatives, the registered manager, deputy manager, the cook and four care staff members.

During our inspection we observed the support provided by staff in communal areas of the home. We looked at the care and medicines administration records for twelve people who used the service. We also looked at the recruitment, training and supervision records for four members of staff, minutes of meetings and a variety of other records related to the management of the service.

Updated 25 November 2017

Springfield Park Nursing Home is a large detached building that is situated in parkland. The home provides both nursing and personal care for up to 70 people. There were 61 people accommodated at the home on the days of the inspection.

The service had 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 a legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

This was the first rated inspection for this home because there was a new provider who first registered with the Care Quality Commission in November 2016.

The service used the local authority safeguarding procedures to report any safeguarding concerns. Staff had been trained in safeguarding topics and were aware of their responsibilities to report any possible abuse.

Recruitment procedures were robust and ensured new staff should be safe to work with vulnerable adults.

The administration of medicines was safe. Staff had been trained in the administration of medicines and had up to date policies and procedures to follow.

The home was clean, tidy and did not contain any offensive odours. The environment was maintained at a good level and homely in character.

There were systems in place to prevent the spread of infection. Staff were trained in infection control and provided with the necessary equipment and hand washing facilities. This helped to protect the health and welfare of staff and people who used the service.

Electrical and gas appliances were serviced regularly. Each person had a personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP) and there was a business plan for any unforeseen emergencies.

People were encouraged to eat and drink to ensure they were hydrated and well fed. The service provided one choice of main meal with other alternatives such as sandwiches or baked potatoes. The registered manager said they would look at providing an alternative main meal.

Most staff had been trained in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The registered manager was aware of her responsibilities of how to apply for any best interest decisions under the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and followed the correct procedures using independent professionals.

New staff received induction training to provide them with the skills to care for people. Staff files and the training matrix showed staff had undertaken sufficient training to meet the needs of people and they were supervised regularly to check their competence. Supervision sessions also gave staff the opportunity to discuss their work and ask for any training they felt necessary.

We observed there were good interactions between staff and people who used the service. People told us staff were kind and caring.

We saw from our observations of staff and records that people who used the service were given choices in many aspects of their lives and helped to remain independent where possible.

We saw that the quality of care plans gave staff sufficient information to look after people accommodated at the care home and they were regularly reviewed. Plans of care contained people’s personal preferences so they could be treated as individuals.

We saw visitors were welcomed into the home and people could see their visitors in private if they wished.

Some staff had been trained in end of life care which should enable them to provide support to people who used the service and their family at the end of their life.

Activities were provided which were suitable to the age and gender of people who used the service.

Audits, quality assurance surveys and meetings helped the service analyse performance to help improve the service.

There was a suitable complaints procedure for people to raise any concerns.

Staff and people who used the service said the home was well-led and the manager was approachable. This view was not shared by two relatives.