Manor Farm Residential Home

Updated 13 September 2018

‘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 took place on 08 August 2018 and was unannounced.

The inspection team consisted of two inspectors 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.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed the PIR and other information we had about the service including statutory notifications. Notifications are information about specific events that the service is legally required to send us. We received feedback from two healthcare professionals who have visited the home.

We spoke with seven people using the service, three relatives and four members of staff including the registered manager, senior Carer and a carer.

We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us. We looked at written correspondence received from the company responsible for checking water quality, the fire service and from the company responsible for servicing and ensuring the safety of equipment. We reviewed four care plans, audits, policies, procedures, equipment checks. We looked at five staff recruitment records, staff supervision and appraisal documents. We undertook observations of care and interactions between people and staff.

Updated 13 September 2018

Manor Farm Residential Home is registered to provide accommodation for up to 20 people requiring assistance with personal care. During our inspection there were 15 people living in the home.

Accommodation is offered over two floors and consists of single or double bedrooms, a number with en-suites and all offering washing facilities. There are two lounges available to people and the dining room is situated within a large conservatory overlooking the garden.

We last inspected Manor Farm Residential Home 20 January 2016 and we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

There was a comprehensive programme of quality audits managed by the registered manager. These included health and safety, infection prevention and control and a kitchen audit. The service had received a 5-star rating from the Food Standards Agency.

The registered manager used a staffing dependency tool to ensure that there was enough suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of people living in the home. The dependency tool considered people’s individual needs and was reviewed when these changed or monthly.

People, staff and relatives spoke positively about the registered manager and provider. Staff said that the registered manager was approachable and that they felt comfortable to speak with the provider if the registered manager was absent. One staff member said, “I go to [registered manager’s name] first, haven’t had to go further than [Registered manager’s name].”

A copy of the providers complaints policy was displayed in the main hallway. There had been no formal complaints about the service in the previous year, the last formal complaint being recorded in 2015.

People were offered a variety of food and drink, with themed meals and experiences being built around specific types of food. For example, during the warmer months ‘fizzy Friday’ offers people the opportunity to taste different types of fizzy drinks and this is changed to ‘frothy Friday’ during the cooler months when people are offered hot drinks, including hot chocolate with marshmallows. People who do not wish to participate are offered alternatives.

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

During our previous inspection, we made a recommendation to the provider regarding environmental health and safety risks. During this inspection we revisited these recommendations and saw evidence that the shortfalls had been addressed. More information can be found in the main body of the report.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.