Background to this inspection
Updated
25 November 2020
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.
As part of CQC’s response to care homes with outbreaks of coronavirus, we are conducting reviews to ensure that the Infection Prevention and Control practice was safe and the service was compliant with IPC measures. This was a targeted inspection looking at the IPC practices the provider has in place.
This inspection took place on 05 November 2020 and was announced.
Updated
25 November 2020
About the service
Pathfinders is a care home providing personal and nursing care. The service specialises in supporting people with complex health and social care needs. The service can support up to 78 people. At the time of the inspection, 67 people were using the service and living across six different units.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Some risks were not always managed safely at the service. Bed rails were not managed safely, which put people at risk of injury. Some medicine was required to be given at a certain time, but the time it was given was not always recorded by staff. Care files had photos of people on the front, so staff could identify who they were supporting. However, we found some photographs of people were out of date and no longer accurately represented people. This put people at risk of not receiving appropriate support.
People and staff told us that at times staffing levels were not sufficient to meet people’s routine needs in a timely way (urgent needs were met quickly). We advised the provider of this and they advised they would consider the deployment of staff around the building.
People told us they felt safe at the service. Records showed us that incidents were reviewed, and action was taken to prevent reoccurrence. The service was clean and followed good infection control processes.
People at the service had complex health and social care needs. These needs were supported in line with current standards and legal regulations. Staff received a variety of training and worked with both internal and external professionals to ensure that people received effective care.
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 received compassionate support from the staff. People were able to make choices about their daily routines and activities that they wished to engage with. Staff supported people to have privacy and dignity. An on-site therapy team supported people to have rehabilitation goals and aim for greater independence. This had positive outcomes for people.
People were consulted at the service, and able to make complaints if they wished. Those people who had made complaints, had received a full investigation and formal response.
Other than the issues identified in the report, the governance process at the service was effective and ensured that good quality care was provided and maintained.
Staff teams worked hard to ensure that people’s diverse needs were recognised and met at the service. People were involved with feeding back about the care they received, we viewed people’s feedback and it was positive about the quality of care they received. This was supported by feedback at the inspection visit, where people reported receiving a good quality service.
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published 7 June 2017).
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.