18 June 2019
During a routine inspection
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.