Wansbeck Care Home

Updated 13 June 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 Act.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by an inspector, a specialist advisor and an 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

Wansbeck 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. Wansbeck is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

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

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 6 people, 5 relatives and 7 staff, including the registered manager, regional manager, activities coordinator and care staff. We contacted 4 external professionals via telephone and email. We spoke with 4 more relatives via telephone.

We observed interactions between staff and people. We reviewed a range of records. This included 7 people's care records and medicines records. We reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures, training records, meeting minutes and surveys.

Updated 13 June 2023

About the service

Wansbeck Care Home is registered to provide accommodation and personal care to a maximum of 40 older people, including people who live with dementia. At the time of the inspection there were 33 people living at the home.

People's experience of using this service and what we found

Systems and processes for identifying patterns and trends were in place. These had not always been used well enough, meaning patterns and trends had not always been identified. We have made a recommendation about this.

Care planning and risk assessments were in place but had not always been reviewed meaningfully. Some daily records were not person-centred or easily accessible. We have made a recommendation about this.

The registered manager needed to review their understanding and application of the duty of candour. We have made a recommendation about this.

The provider had plans in place to improve the review and storage of records.

The provider had identified areas for improvement, prior to our inspection visit, and had begun to implement changes and improvements.

People felt well supported and safe. Staff helped people promptly when they needed. Relatives had confidence in the ability of staff to keep their loved ones safe.

The environment was clean. The provider had made improvements to the safety of the environment in response to visits from external agencies. They had plans in place to complete more refurbishment.

Medicines administration was safe. Staff were trained, supervised and had their competence regularly assessed. Records were clear and stock checks and audits ensured the risks of errors were reduced. The provider had acted on the advice and support of external specialists.

There were sufficient staff to keep people safe. The provider had recruited more staff recently and reduced reliance on agency staff.

People were kept safe. The provider had relevant policies and procedures in place to reduce the risk of abuse. Staff reacted promptly to individual incidents and concerns.

Staff were recruited safely and felt they could raise concerns if they needed to.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and to live in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff knew people well and wanted them to receive good quality care.

The provider had made a range of recent improvements to the safety of the building, including new locks and redecoration work. They had further refurbishment planned.

The provider worked well with external professionals.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 25 May 2021).

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service. We undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Wansbeck Care Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the safe and well-led sections of this report.

You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Enforcement and Recommendations

We have made recommendations that the provider: reviews and improves the person-centred nature of care plans, risks assessments and their reviews; reviews the effectiveness of its quality assurance measures in place, and; reviews their understanding of the duty of candour.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our reinspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.