9 December 2022
During an inspection looking at part of the service
The Hornchurch Care Home supports older people, some of whom have dementia care needs. It is registered to accommodate up to 55 people with nursing and personal care. At the time of the inspection, 54 people were living at the home. The home has three floors with adapted facilities and en-suite rooms.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Medicines were administered to people safely and as prescribed. However, we have made a recommendation for the provider to review the way they manage medicines and equipment to monitor people’s blood sugar levels.
People were safe and there were systems to protect them from the risk of abuse. Potential risks to people were assessed and monitored. Staff were recruited safely and appropriately. There were enough staff to meet people's care and support needs. Systems were in place to record and monitor accidents and incidents.
People were protected from the risks associated with the spread of infection. People were supported by staff who had received professional training and support. People's needs were assessed before they started to use the service. The staff worked with other health and social care professionals to ensure people were in good health.
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 did support this practice.
People were encouraged to maintain a healthy balanced diet and were provided food and drink that met their preferences and needs. Staff knew people well and they provided care and support to them in a kind and compassionate way. People were treated with respect and their views were listened to and their requests acted upon.
People received personalised care and support in accordance with their individual needs. Care plans provided guidance on how to support people, and included their preferences and communication needs. People were positive about the care and support they received from staff and the management team. There was a positive culture in the home and equality, diversity and inclusion was promoted.
Activities for people in the home were engaging and meaningful. People were supported to pursue their interests. People and their relatives were positive about the management team and could approach them with any concerns.
The provider had systems in place to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the services provided. Feedback was sought from people, relatives, staff and other professionals. The home worked with local services and was a part of the community.
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 the service was Good (report published 20 April 2020).
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted in part due to concerns we received about the quality and safety of the service and the management of end of life care support. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.
We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.