Background to this inspection
Updated
29 August 2019
The inspection
We carried out our inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. Our inspection checked whether the provider was 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.
Inspection team
The inspection was completed by one inspector.
Service and service type
Prince Alfred 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 registered manager. 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.
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 and professionals who work with the service. 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 two relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with the registered manager, service administrator, a senior care worker and a care worker.
We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and multiple medication 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 evidence found. We spoke with two professionals who regularly visit the service. We also spoke with four relatives and a member of care staff.
Updated
29 August 2019
About the service
Prince Alfred is a residential care service that provides accommodation and personal care for up to fifty people. It accommodates people across two floors, each of which has separate facilities. At the time of our inspection, there were 46 people living at the home.
People's experience of using this service and what we found
People using this service benefitted from an outstandingly caring service and truly felt that Prince Alfred was their home.
We received overwhelmingly positive feedback on how staff were supportive and went above and beyond to get care just right for people. People considered Price Alfred as, ''a very special place'' and ''a home from
home.''
People and their relatives had complete confidence in the staff who took care of them. People received care from staff who were exceptionally caring and had developed genuine relationships with the people they were caring for. Staff were kind and compassionate and knew people's individual needs, routines and preferences well.
People were supported in such a way that allowed them 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 home supported this practice.
People participated in activities and pastimes which were meaningful to them, both in the local and wider community. Staff took the time to get to know what people enjoyed doing and were pivotal in the deliverance of individualised activities and pastimes.
People were treated with the utmost dignity and respect. Staff provided support where required but took great care to encourage and maintain people's independence. People's protected characteristics, such as
gender, cultural and spiritual needs were both valued and respected.
Feedback about the management of the home from people, their relatives and staff was positive. The registered manager adopted a hands on approach to the deliverance of care, in addition to managing the home. The manager encouraged a culture of person centred and compassionate care, and this was evident throughout every member of the staff team.
Staff were supported in their role with appropriate training and supervision. Most staff had received additional training to meet the specific needs of the people they were caring for.
Regular checks and audits were carried out to determine the quality and safety of the environment and the care being provided. Risk to people was appropriately assessed and measures were put in place to support
people safely, whilst still respecting their freedom.
The registered manager and registered provider had met their legal requirements with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). They promoted a person centred and transparent culture within the service.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Rating at last inspection
At our last inspection, the service was rated "Good." (Report published January 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the rating of the last inspection.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.