• Care Home
  • Care home

Blair House

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

24 Pevensey Road, St Leonards On Sea, East Sussex, TN38 0LF (01424) 437608

Provided and run by:
Regal Care Trading Ltd

Important: The provider of this service changed. See old profile

Latest inspection summary

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Background to this inspection

Updated 17 November 2022

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

Blair House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of the inspection there was no registered manager at the service. However, the new manager had commenced the process to register with CQC.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make.

We contacted the local authority market support team for feedback. We reviewed all the information we hold about the service including statutory notifications sent to us by the manager about events that had occurred at the service. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law. We contacted the local market support team. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

Not everyone living at Blair House was able to tell us their views of the home. We spent time observing the interactions between people and staff in communal areas of the home, in order to help us understand people's experiences.

We spoke with eight people who used the service and contacted two relatives and two health professional following the inspection. We spent time observing care and reviewing care records to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us. We spoke with five members of staff including the nominated individual, manager and care staff. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three peoples care plans in full and a further four to look at specific areas relating to their care needs. We also looked at medication records and two staff files in relation to recruitment. We reviewed accident, incident and safeguarding processes, staffing and induction records. Staff and resident meetings, and a variety of records relating to the management of the service. This included provider improvement/action plans.

Overall inspection

Good

Updated 17 November 2022

About the service

Blair House is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care for up to 29 people. At the time of the inspection there were 21 people living in the service. People were living with a range of needs associated with dementia and mental ill health.

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

People were protected from the risk of abuse. Staff were aware how to recognise and report any concerns. People living at Blair House were supported by staff who had been safely recruited and had completed training. New staff had an induction and spent time working with current staff.

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 supported this practice.

People received their medicines in a safe manner. Staff administering medicines received training and had their competencies assessed.

Care plans and risk assessments were in place. Staff knew people well and emphasis was placed on supporting people to maintain their independence wherever possible. For those who required more support due to their dementia or mental health needs, staff provided this with respect and dignity.

Infection control procedures were being followed and the home was clean and tidy. Staff and management were aware of any actions to follow in the event of any outbreaks of COVID19.

People’s views had been sought. People told us they had been involved in discussions about the redecoration. Relatives spoke positively about the recent changes. One told us, “I was concerned at first when I learnt there would be a change of manager, but my fears were soon allayed when I saw the calm manner that [managers name] was assuming her role. Within a short time, she had implemented improvements, by getting management to arrange for decorating to be done throughout, along with new curtains and bedding. The lounge and dining room were altered around, which makes for a more comfortable environment.”

Staff, resident and relative meetings were taking place and surveys had been completed. All feedback received was being used to implement further changes to improve the home.

Quality assurance checks had been completed. The manager had implemented a new programme of auditing. This was used to identify areas for improvement and learning. Actions had been highlighted and work had taken place to implement improvements. Although some improvements were recent, the positive impact on people and staff of these improvements was evident.

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 25 September 2019).

Why we inspected

The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received in relation to documentation and management of the service. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has remained as good, based on the findings of this inspection.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.