Archived: St Marks Nursing Home

Updated 1 April 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 checked 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 a comprehensive inspection. This inspection commenced on 30 January 2017 and was unannounced. A short announced visit was also made on 8 February 2017.

The first day of inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector 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. The short second visit was carried out by an adult social care inspector.

Before our inspection, we reviewed the information we held about the service including notifications about any incidents in the home. We asked commissioners from the local authority and health authority for their views of the service provided at this home. We contacted the local Healthwatch group to obtain their views. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England.

During the inspection we spoke with six people living at the home and three relatives. We spoke with the registered manager, the deputy manager, a care worker, a catering staff member, a member of housekeeping staff and an administrator.

We observed care and support in the communal areas and looked around the premises. We also observed a lunchtime meal to help us understand how well people were cared for. We viewed a range of records about people’s care and how the home was managed. These included the care records of five people, medicines records of eight people, the recruitment records of three staff members, training records and quality monitoring reports.

Updated 1 April 2017

St Marks Nursing Home is a care home for 35 people with nursing and personal care needs, some of whom may be living with dementia. There were 32 people living at the home when we visited.

At the last comprehensive inspection on 30 July 2014, the service was rated Good overall. At that time we made a requirement relating to checks of staff to make sure they remained suitable to work in a care service. When we carried out a focused inspection in May 2015 we found improvements had been made but we were unable to change the rating at that time as we needed to see this was sustained. At this inspection we found the service remained Good and the improvements to staff checks had continued.

People felt safe and secure in the home. Any risks to people’s health and safety were assessed and managed. There were enough staff on duty to assist people in a timely way. The staff had been checked and vetted as suitable to work in care services. People’s medicines were managed in a safe way.

Staff felt well trained and competent in their roles. People and relatives said staff were good at their jobs. People were supported to have choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. People said the meals were good and they were assisted with their nutritional well-being. The home made sure people had access to health services when they needed them.

People and relatives felt staff were helpful and friendly. They treated people with dignity and respect. People were encouraged to make their own daily choices and retain their independence.

People received care that was individual to their needs. Staff were familiar with people’s preferences and well-being. There was a range of activities for people to join in, both in the home and in the local community.

The registered provider and registered manager had run the home for many years. People felt the service was well-managed. There was an open culture in the home so people, relatives and staff felt able to comment on the service. The registered manager and staff carried out checks of the quality and safety of the service.

The service met the relevant fundamental standards we inspected and provided a homely environment for the people who lived and worked there.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.