Background to this inspection
Updated
22 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 care homes with outbreaks of COVID-19, we are conducting reviews to ensure that the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practice is safe and that services are compliant with IPC measures. This was a targeted inspection looking at the IPC practices the provider has 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 25 February 2022 and was unannounced.
Updated
22 March 2022
The inspection took place on 21 November 2017. The inspection was unannounced.
We last inspected the service on 08 March 2017; we only inspected the safe domain as this was a focused inspection. The service had a continued breach of Regulation 19 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. Recruitment practices were not always safe. The provider and registered manager were served a warning notice and were asked to meet Regulation 19 by 15 May 2017. The registered manager submitted an action plan to state that Regulation 19 had been met by this date.
Rock House 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. Rock house was not registered to provide nursing care. People who required nursing received this from visiting healthcare professionals.
Rock House accommodates up to 15 people who are experiencing mental health difficulties. There were 14 people living at the service when we inspected. One person visited the service during the inspection for a trial stay to identify if they were suitable for release from hospital.
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.
People gave us good feedback about the care and support they received whilst living at Rock House. They told us staff were responsive to their needs.
The service had been well maintained. However windows around the service were in a state of disrepair. Some frames were rotten all the way through. The provider had not taken timely action to address this. We made a recommendation about this.
Effective recruitment procedures were in place to check that potential staff employed were of good character and had the skills and experience needed to carry out their roles.
The service design and layout met people’s needs. The service was clean and tidy and effective systems were in place to minimise and control the spread of infection.
Effective systems were in place to enable the provider to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service. Records were accurate, complete and securely stored.
People's care plans clearly detailed their care and support needs. People were fully involved with the care planning process including identifying triggers, signs and actions to address their mental health needs.
Appropriate numbers of staff had been deployed to meet people's needs. Staff had attended training relevant to people's needs and they had received effective supervision from the management team.
Risk assessments were in place to mitigate the risk of harm to people and staff. Medicines had been well-managed.
People were encouraged and supported to engage with activities that met their needs. People accessed their local community independently and with the staff.
People had choices of food at each meal time. People purchased their own food and were given a weekly allowance for this. Some people prepared and cooked their meals independently and some people had support to keep them safe. People were supported and encouraged to have a varied and healthy diet.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which applies to care homes. The registered manager had systems in place to track and monitor applications and authorisations.
Staff knew and understood how to protect people from abuse and harm and keep them safe.
People were supported and helped to maintain their health and to access health services when they needed them.
Maintenance of the premises had been routinely undertaken and records about it were complete. Fire safety tests had been carried out and fire equipment safety-checked.
Staff were cheerful, kind and patient in their approach and had a good rapport with people. The atmosphere in the service was calm and relaxed. Staff treated people with dignity and respect.
People were supported to maintain their relationships with people who mattered to them. Relatives and visitors were welcomed at the service at any reasonable time.
People and their relatives had opportunities to provide feedback about the service they received.
Compliments had been received from relatives through the completion of surveys and through cards and letters.
People and their relatives knew who to talk to if they were unhappy about the service. Complaints had been dealt with effectively.
People told us that the service was well run. Staff were positive about the support they received from the management team. They felt they could raise concerns and they would be listened to.