Liskeard Eventide Home

We found the following examples of good practice.

The home was clean and hygienic in appearance. There were appropriate procedures to ensure that infection control risks were reduced. For example, in the communal areas the furniture was arranged to enable social distancing with seats removed from the main lounge and side tables placed between the chairs. Increased cleaning schedules ensured that communal areas and high touch points around the home, such as light switches and hand rails, were cleaned regularly.

Infection control policies and procedures had been updated in line with the national guidance relating to COVID-19 and staff were provided regular updates to ensure they were following best practice recommendations. Staff were required to sign to say they had read and understood the policies and procedures. The training for staff regarding infection control had been updated to include guidance relating to COVID-19.

Audits and risk assessments had been carried out to identify areas where action was needed to increase the control of infection. Actions had been completed within agreed timescales. The registered manager had completed formal risk assessments for each staff member regarding their level of risk from COVID-19 and appropriate action taken to reduce the risk to staff.

The provider had a contingency plan to manage an outbreak of COVID-19 and staff were trained to recognise the symptoms of COVID-19 and take prompt action.

Plentiful supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) was in evidence at the entrance to the home and throughout the building. Care staff were seen to wear surgical masks and aprons at all times in communal areas and were observed to carry out effective hand hygiene procedures. Kitchen staff were observed to wear a fabric mask. The registered manager provided assurances that in future, when they were outside of the kitchen this would be changed for a recognised surgical mask to reduce the risk of infection. Additional signage was used to identify when a person was assessed at higher risk of infection, for example when newly admitted to the home. This provided as a reminder to staff to wear full PPE including gloves, apron and gloves when entering their room.

Regular testing for COVID-19 was carried out for staff and people who used the service. Staff had been provided with training and observed practice prior to being provided with kits to take home to carry out their own LFD tests.

People who used the service were supported to communicate with their friends and family. Telephones and electronic devices were used to communicate. At the time of the inspection a national lockdown was in effect and visiting arrangements reflected national best practice guidance. Information by letter, had been provided to nominated family and friends regarding the arrangements to ensure safety when visiting the home. Visitors were required to take a COVID-19 test on arrival at the home and wait in their car or outside for the results. A summerhouse had been installed in the grounds, supplied with heating, a plastic screen and an intercom to reduce the risks of cross infection. Visits for compassionate reasons, such as end of life care, were facilitated for people living at the home.

Liskeard Eventide Home is a residential care home providing personal care to 25 people, one who was staying for respite care, at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 26 people.

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

There was a very homely and welcoming atmosphere where people were supported by staff who were exceptionally kind and caring. Feedback about the compassionate and caring approach of staff was very positive. People were treated with dignity and respect in a way that truly valued them as individuals. The management and staff were always prepared to go the extra mile to ensure people received the care they needed and lived full and meaningful lives.

People were protected from potential abuse as staff had received training and were confident in raising concerns. People living in the service consistently told us they felt safe and staff treated them in a respectful manner. Comments from people, “You just feel safe wherever you are in the home, and “They are always monitoring my health, that makes me feel safe.”

The service had received a notice from the local fire service stating they were non-compliant in some areas. However, the registered manager had already started to action these concerns.

People were supported by a stable staff team who had the skills and knowledge to meet their needs. This included direct observations. However, some areas of training, for example infection control and end of life care, showed that some staff training was overdue or not completed.

Assessments were carried out to identify any risks to the person moving into the service and to the staff supporting them. Care plans were personalised to the individual and recorded details about each person’s specific needs and wishes. These were kept under regular review and updated as people’s needs changed. However, due to the introduction of a fairly new computerised care plan system we found information held was muddled. For example, some information for people had been transferred over to the new system while other information for the same person was still held in paper format.

Staff spoke passionately about the people they supported and were clearly committed to providing a responsive and caring service in line with people’s wishes. Staff were particularly sensitive to times when people needed caring and compassionate support and often went ‘the extra mile’ to support people’s emotional well-being.

There was a positive culture in the staff team. Management and staff were committed to ensuring people received a good service and particularly about helping people who might be a risk of being socially isolated. The service remained at the heart of the local community with strong community links including some community groups regularly visiting and people accessing their community.

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 access healthcare services, staff recognised changes in people's health, and sought professional advice appropriately.

People, their relatives and staff told us management were approachable and they listened to them when they had any concerns or ideas. All feedback was used to make continuous improvements to the service.

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

Rating at last inspection. This service was last inspected in 2017, when it was rated as outstanding in three areas with outstanding as an overall rating.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

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

The service has a registered manager. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Eventide Residential care home offers care and support to predominantly older people. People consistently told us about the excellent care they received. They told us the staff were 'wonderful' and patient and caring. We observed staff demonstrated empathy in their conversations with people and in how they spoke about them. The service had received numerous compliments.

Comments from families and professionals ranged from 'Excellent', to ‘fabulous’ for the quality of care which people received. Staff developed exceptionally positive caring and compassionate relationships with people. The ethos of the home was that of an extended family. People were treated with dignity and respect and staff were caring and compassionate towards them.

People were fully supported in innovative ways to follow their interests and take part in social activities. The home had a wide range of activities suited to the individual needs of people and which brought positive outcomes and pleasure to their lives. Activities were designed to stimulate conversation, promote interaction with others, maintain manual dexterity and mobility and to have fun. People, families and staff had regular meetings to discuss what people would like to have in the home with regards to equipment, activities and daily routines. Everyone was encouraged to take part in fund-raising for the different projects people had chosen, including people, staff and families. Regular fetes at the service and community concerts were held to help with this.

People benefitted from their fund raising projects and to date this had provided a ‘comfort fund’ to support activities for people to use. The registered manager and management committee had also secured Lottery funding which had helped to fund the creation of Liskeard Eventide Community garden. This was a garden terrace open to the local community as well as people who lived at the service and used as a venue for many events. People told us there were lots of activities going on at the service and they enjoyed these and had fun taking part. People's wellbeing had improved because staff engaged with people in ways that prevented them becoming isolated. People who were disinclined to join in with group activities were offered one to one time with staff to pursue activities they enjoyed.

People, families and professionals consistently gave us positive feedback about how the service was personalised to meet people's individual needs. Staff knew each person as an individual, their preferences and interests.

People experienced effective care and support that promoted their health and wellbeing from staff that had the knowledge and skills needed to carry out their role. People were supported by enough skilled staff so their care and support could be provided at a time and were convenient for them. Each person's needs were assessed and care records had personalised information about how to meet them. Care was focused on people's wishes and preferences and people were supported to remain active and independent. Care staff felt the information available to them enabled them to offer care in the way each person wanted.

People told us the food was "excellent" and they really enjoyed meal times. There was a varied diet and choices available according to people's likes and dislikes. Specialist diets such as gluten free and diets to cater for low sugar and low fat options were catered for.

Health and social care professionals gave positive feedback about the personalised approach of staff towards people and how well people were cared for. Comments included, “I have visited this home quite a few times for reviews and I have never had any concerns. The staff are very caring. In particular I have been impressed with the compassion and perseverance I have seen when they have been supporting some people with complex care needs.”

People were cared for by a motivated and well trained staff team. The registered manager and management committee offered strong and effective leadership to the service. Regular residents meetings ensured people were involved in the running of the home and a suggestion box was available where people were encouraged to share their ideas.

People who used the service told us; 'I am happy here, the staff are good and look after me well' 'I have plenty to eat and can choose what I want within reason'. A relative told us they had a background in social services, they said; 'I cannot praise the home enough, they really look after mum to high standards'.

During our observations we saw staff help two people to mobilise. This was done with patience and understanding. We also saw staff conversed with people when they were laying up tables for lunch. We saw people talked to each other at lunch.

We witnessed staff interactions with people which were positive. People told us staff answered call bells promptly. One person said the staff were 'polite and friendly'. Another person said, 'I am very happy here, no complaints'. People told us the food was good and they were offered choices. We were told visitors were welcome. One person said 'I can go to bed when I want, if I wanted to go out someone would take me'. Another person told us they were involved in the planning of their care.

We heard care workers asked people what they would like to do and they gave them ideas if people could not make a choice.

The staff we spoke with were able to explain what they would do if they witnessed any form of abuse.

We observed the premises were safe and suitable for use as a care home.

We found staff were recruited in an appropriate way, supported and trained.

During our observations we saw staff help two people to mobilise. We also saw staff conversed with people when they were laying up tables for lunch. We saw people talked to each other at lunch.

We witnessed staff interactions with people which were positive. People told us staff answered call bells promptly. One person said the staff were 'polite and friendly'. Another person said, 'I am very happy here, no complaints'. People told us the food was good and they were offered choices. We were told visitors were welcome. One person said 'I can go to bed when I want, if I wanted to go out someone would take me'. Another person told us they were involved in the planning of their care.

We heard care workers ask people what they would like to do and they gave them ideas if people could not make a choice.

We found staff were recruited in an appropriate way, supported and trained.