Gwenlyn Care Home

Updated 17 March 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is 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.

This comprehensive inspection visit took place on 20 February 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because the service was a small care home for adults who are often out during the day, we needed to be sure someone would be in.

The inspection team consisted of an adult social care inspector.

Before our inspection on 20 February 2018 we reviewed the information we held on the service. This included notifications we had received from the provider, about incidents that affect the health, safety and welfare of people who lived at the home and previous inspection reports. We also checked to see if any information concerning the care and welfare of the person who lived at the home had been received.

We also contacted the commissioning department at Blackpool Council and Healthwatch Blackpool. Healthwatch Blackpool is an independent consumer champions for health and social care. This helped us to gain a balanced overview of what people experienced accessing the service.

As part of the inspection we used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During the visit we spoke with a range of people about the service. They included the registered provider, her husband and the person who lived at the home. We also observed care practices and how the registered provider and her husband interacted with the person in their care. This helped us understand the experience of person.

We looked at the care records of the person who lived at the home, arrangements in place for meal preparation and records relating to the management of the home. We also checked the building to ensure it was clean, hygienic and a safe place for the person to live.

Updated 17 March 2018

Gwenlyn House is registered to accommodate up to three adults. The home is situated in the North Shore area of Blackpool, within easy reach of local amenities. Accommodation comprises of three single bedrooms, a large lounge and dining room. Off street parking is available for visitors. At the time of our inspection visit there was one person who lived at the home.

At the last inspection on 25 November 2015 the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of Good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

The person who lived at the home told us they were happy, felt safe and were treated with kindness at all times. The person said, “I am very happy living here.”

The carers in the home were the registered provider and her husband. The service did not employ any staff. The person who lived at the home was independent and could attend to their own care needs with minimum supervision.

Suitable arrangements were in place to protect the person from abuse and unsafe care. The person told us they felt safe and their rights and dignity were respected.

Risk assessments had been developed to minimise the potential risk of harm to the person during their daily routines and delivery of their care. These had been kept under review and were relevant to the care provided.

The registered provider and her husband had the skills, knowledge and experience required to support the person who lived at the home with their care and social needs.

We found the person who lived at the home was in good health and did not need to take any medicines. Appropriate arrangements for storing medicines were in place should the person need to take any medicines in the future.

We saw there was an emphasis on promoting dignity, respect and independence for the person who lived at the home. They told us they were treated as an individual and received person centred care.

We looked around the building and found it had been maintained, was clean and hygienic and a safe place to live. We found equipment had been serviced and maintained as required.

The service had safe infection control procedures in place. The person who lived at the home told us they were happy with the standard of hygiene in place.

We found the person who lived at the home had been supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and they were supported in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

We looked at the care records for the person. There was information in place about their support needs and how these were being met.

The person was happy with the variety and choice of meals available to them. We observed the person had unrestricted access to the kitchen and could prepare drinks and snacks whenever they wished.

The person who lived at the home had access to healthcare professionals and their healthcare needs had been met.

We found a variety of activities were organised for the persons entertainment. These included external activities in the local community and going on holiday with the registered provider.

The service had information with regards to support from an external advocate should this be required by them.

The service had a complaints procedure which was on display in the hallway for people’s attention. The person we spoke with told us they were happy with the service and had no complaints.

There was no formal internal quality assurance in place but informal checks were made routinely. Everyone talked together frequently to discuss any plans or changes. Decisions were made as a family group.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.