Background to this inspection
Updated
25 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 was carried out by one inspector, a specialist nurse advisor (SPA) 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.
Service and service type
The Albany 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. The registered manager was not present on the day of the inspection.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with eight people who used the service and three relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with twelve members of staff including the area operations manager, the deputy manager, senior care workers, care workers, activity staff, catering staff and housekeeping staff. We also spoke with one visiting health professional. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.
We reviewed a range of records. This included six people’s care records and multiple medicines records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
Following the inspection we received feedback from two health professionals.
Updated
25 July 2019
About the service
The Albany is a care home providing personal and nursing care to 37 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 38 people. The service is in one adapted building over two floors. The service supported people who were discharged from hospital and required support with rehabilitation prior to returning to their own homes. These were referred to as ‘hub beds’.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
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 did not always support this practice. We have made a recommendation about ensuring staff understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA)
People enjoyed living at The Albany. They felt safe and well-cared for. People were supported to manage risks. There were enough staff to ensure people’s needs were met. Medicines were managed safely by staff who were trained and competent. The environment was clean and well maintained.
People were supported to access specialist health professionals when needed. The service worked closely with multidisciplinary teams to ensure people’s needs were met. People were supported by staff who were well-trained and supported by the management team. There was a wide variety of food available. Individual dietary needs and preferences were met.
Staff treated people with kindness and compassion, valuing them as unique individuals. People were always included in decisions about their care and choices were respected. Staff were respectful and ensured people’s dignity and privacy was protected.
People enjoyed a wide variety of activities, which clearly had a positive impact on their well-being. Care plans were accurate and up to date. They included information about people’s histories, likes and dislikes. Staff used this information to provide person-centred care. Where people wished to discuss it, end of life wishes were included. Complaints were dealt with in line with the complaints policy.
There was a committed management team in place who valued everyone’s contribution to the service. There were effective systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service. People, relatives and staff were able to comment on the service and action was taken as a result.
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 (published 22 December 2016).
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.