Archived: Westmoor View Care Home

Updated 11 February 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 registered 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.

We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection of this service on 29 March 2016 where we found that the registered provider was meeting the legal requirements in the areas we looked at. After the inspection, the local authority received safeguarding concerns which they shared with the Care Quality Commission, and as a result we undertook an unannounced early morning focussed inspection of the service on 21 December 2016.

Before the inspection we reviewed all the information we held about the service. We did not ask the registered provider to complete a provider information return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

We spoke with nine people who used the service and one relative. We walked around the service early morning and in addition spent time in the communal areas and observed how staff interacted with people.

During the visit we spoke with the registered manager, two nurses, the housekeeper, cook, activity co-ordinator and with four care staff.

We looked at positional charts of people who used the service. We also looked at records of visits made by other professionals employed by the registered provider to assess and monitor the quality of the service provided. We listened to the handover from night staff to day staff.

Updated 11 February 2017

We inspected Westmoor View Care Home on 29 March 2016. The inspection was unannounced which meant that the staff and registered provider did not know we would be visiting.

Westmoor View Care Home is set within terraced grounds, located off Dixon's Bank in the residential area of Marton. The service provides care and accommodation to a maximum number of 36 people, some of whom are living with a dementia. The service also provides nursing care. Westmoor View Care Home is close to shops, pubs and public transport. At the time of the inspection there were 35 people using the service.

The home had a registered manager in place. 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

There were systems and processes in place to protect people from the risk of harm. Staff told us about different types of abuse and were aware of action they should take if abuse was suspected. Staff described how they ensured the welfare of vulnerable people was protected through the organisation’s whistle blowing and safeguarding procedures.

Appropriate checks of the building and maintenance systems were undertaken to ensure health and safety.

Risks to people’s safety had been assessed by staff and records of these assessments had been reviewed. This enabled staff to have the guidance they needed to help people to remain safe.

We saw that staff had received supervision on a regular basis and an annual appraisal.

Staff had been trained and had the skills and knowledge to provide support to the people they cared for. We received mixed comments from people and relatives when we asked if they thought there was enough staff on duty. During the inspection call bells were answered in a timely way.

Staff understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards which meant they were working within the law to support people who may lack capacity to make their own decisions.

We found that safe recruitment and selection procedures were in place and appropriate checks had been completed before staff began work. This included obtaining references from previous employers to show staff employed were suitable to work with vulnerable people.

Appropriate systems were in place for the management of medicines so that people received their medicines safely.

There were positive interactions between people and staff. We saw that staff treated people with dignity and respect. Observation of the staff showed that they knew the people very well and could anticipate their needs. People told us that they were happy and felt very well cared for.

We saw that people were provided with a choice of healthy food and drinks which helped to ensure that their nutritional needs were met. Staff had undertaken nutritional screening to identify specific risks to people’s nutrition.

People were supported to maintain good health and had access to healthcare professionals and services. People were supported and encouraged to have regular health checks and were accompanied by staff to hospital appointments.

Assessments were undertaken to identify people’s care, health and support needs. Care plans were developed with people who used the service and relatives to identify how they wanted to be supported.

People’s independence was encouraged. People and relatives told us activities had improved in the last few months. Previously they felt that activities were limited but the introduction of a new activity co-ordinator had led to activities that were varied, interesting and stimulating. Activities for those people living with a dementia were limited.

The registered provider had a system in place for responding to people’s concerns and complaints. People and relatives told us they knew how to complain and felt confident that staff would respond and take action to support them. People and relatives we spoke with did not raise any complaints or concerns about the service.

There were effective systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service provided. Staff told us that the home had an open, inclusive and positive culture.