St Joseph's Nursing Home

Updated 11 January 2020

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

This inspection was carried out by one inspector, a specialist professional advisor 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. Our Expert by Experience had cared for someone who had used this type of service.

Service and service type

St Joseph’s Nursing Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a 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

We looked at information received about the service. This included updated information from the joint work with the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Medicines Optimisation Team. The provider submitted a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.

During the inspection-

We spoke with four people who used the service and eight relatives about their experience of the care provided. We observed interaction and daily activity of the service. We spoke with ten members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager, chef, administrator, two nurses and four care staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and an additional four people’s medicine records. 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.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate the evidence found. We looked at improvements and maintenance plans and records we had requested from the registered manager.

Updated 11 January 2020

About the service.

St Joseph’s Nursing Home provides personal and nursing care for up to 41 people of all ages. They were providing care for 36 people at the time of the inspection.

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

The service was safe, and people were protected from harm. Staff were knowledgeable about safeguarding adults from abuse and knew what to do if they had any concerns and how to report them. Risk assessments were thorough and personalised.

Staffing levels were meeting the needs of the people who used the service and staff demonstrated they had the relevant knowledge and skills to support people with their care. Safe recruitment practices were in place. People’s medicines were managed and administered safely. The service was clean and infection control procedures in place and lessons were learnt when things went wrong.

The service was effective. Training was provided on a regular basis and updated. People were supported with maintaining a balanced diet and enjoyed the food provided. Staff liaised well with health professionals to ensure people were kept as well as could be.

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

People and their family members told us staff were caring and kind. They said they were involved in discussions about their care. People were treated with respect and their privacy and dignity protected.

Care plans were detailed and contained relevant information about people who used the service and their needs. People had access to a range of individual and group social and leisure activities which they enjoyed. Concerns and complaints were listened to and fully investigated. People were well looked after at the end of their life.

The service was well led by an established and experienced management team and consistent team of staff. Staff were well supported and spoke highly about working for the service. A quality assurance process was in place which ensured the service was safe and met the requirements of the law.

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

Rating at last inspection. The last rating for this service was Good. (19 December 2016).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor the 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.