OSJCT Stirlings

Updated 18 July 2019

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection team consisted of an inspector and two Experts 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

Stirlings 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.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

Before the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service and the service provider. The provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and what improvements they plan to make. We used the information the provider sent us in PIR. This information helps support our inspections. We looked at notifications received from the provider. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law. This ensured we were addressing any areas of concern. We received feedback from two social and health care professionals who regularly visited people who received care from the service. We also reviewed the provider’s previous inspection reports. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 13 people and five relatives. We looked at two people’s care records and three medicine administration records (MAR). We spoke with the registered manager, the area manager, the care leader and nine staff which included, carer staff, kitchen staff, domestic staff, activities coordinator and a volunteer. We reviewed a range of records relating to the management of the home. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

Updated 18 July 2019

About the service:

Stirlings is residential care home that was providing personal without nursing to 35 people at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 40 people.

People’s experience of using this service:

People had excellent opportunities and access to a variety of activities to prevent social isolation. Social activities met people’s individual needs and followed best practice guidance so people could live as full a life as possible. Activities were overseen by a committed, passionate and experienced full-time coordinator who has recently won a coordinator of the year award. Additional support was provided by a number of trained, passionate volunteers. The service has gone the extra mile to find out what people have done in the past, evaluated whether it could accommodate activities, and made that happen. The service had gone the extra mile to encourage and support people to develop and maintain relationships with people that matter to them. The service took a key role in the local community and was actively involved in building further links with the local community. Contact with other community resources and support networks was encouraged and sustained. Several local schools had links with the home, with pupils and people visiting each other’s establishments. People told us they enjoyed and benefitted from these links.

People living at Stirlings received safe care from skilled and knowledgeable staff. People told us they felt safe receiving care from the service. Staff understood their responsibilities to identify and report any concerns. The provider had safe recruitment and selection processes in place.

Risks to people's safety and well-being were managed through a risk management process. There were sufficient staff deployed to meet people's needs. The home used the same agency staff to ensure consistence of care. Medicines were managed safely and people received their medicines as prescribed.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People were supported to maintain good health and to meet their nutritional needs.

People told us staff were caring. Staff consistence enabled people to receive good care from staff who knew them well.

Stirlings was well-led by a manager who was making positive changes. The service had a clear management and staffing structure in place. Staff worked well as a team and had a sense of pride working at the service. The provider had quality assurance systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service.

Rating at last inspection:

At our last inspection we rated the service good. Our last report was published on 12 October 2016.

Why we inspected:

This inspection was part of our scheduled plan of visiting services to check the safety and quality of care people received.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor the service to ensure that people receive safe, compassionate, high quality care. Further inspections will be planned for future dates.

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