The Care Quality Commission
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  • Care home

Archived: Garsewednack Residential Home

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

132 Albany Road, Redruth, Cornwall, TR15 2HZ (01209) 215798

Provided and run by:
Mr & Mrs N Brazier

All Inspections

8 and 9 September 2015

During a routine inspection

Garsewednack Residential Home is a care home which provides accommodation and personal care for up to 21 people. At the time of the inspection 21 people were using the service. Some of those people were living with dementia. Some people had physical or sensory disabilities.

There was a registered manager at the service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.

We inspected on 8 and 9 September 2015. The inspection was unannounced. The service was last inspected on 6 May 2014 and was found to be meeting the requirements of the regulations.

People told us they felt safe at the service and with the staff who supported them. People told us, “I love it here, to me, this is home,” “people have been very kind to me” and “Everyone has been very helpful and kind.” Staff were friendly and carried out their duties to a high professional standard. There was a calm atmosphere and people did not appear rushed. Staff understood their work and were committed to the people who lived at Garsewednack. Records showed there were satisfactory recruitment processes, and staff had undertaken basic training, such as moving and handling and fire training, as required by health and safety regulations.

The medicines system was well organised, and people told us they received their medicines in a timely manner. People had access to a general practitioner (GP), and other medical professionals such as a dentist, chiropodist and an optician. However records of some medical support were not always consistently kept to a good standard.

There were satisfactory numbers of staff on duty to keep people safe and meet their needs. People who used the service told us staff worked professionally to meet their needs. For example we were told “They are very nice staff,” and ”they are very good to us here.” People said if they pressed the call bell, staff would come quickly to provide them with assistance.

People told us they could spend their time how they wanted and were able to spend time in private if they wished. Some activities were available for people. Most people were happy with the activities provided, although some people said they would like more to do, and would like the opportunity to go out on trips.

Care files contained suitable information such as a care plan, and these were regularly reviewed. People’s capacity to consent to care and treatment was suitably assessed in line with the Mental Capacity Act (2005). People said they did not feel restricted. For example one person said “I am free, within my capabilities, to do what I want.” If restrictions were necessary, for example to protect people from a high level of personal risk, appropriate referrals to the local authority had been made.

People said they enjoyed the food, and we were told regular drinks were provided. For example one person said “The food is excellent.” People had a choice of eating their meals in the dining room or their bedrooms. People said they were provided with cold drinks, and regular teas and coffees during the day

One person raised a concern about their care, which was referred to the registered manager. Everyone else who we spoke with was very happy with the standard of care. People said if they did have concerns, they would feel confident discussing these with staff or with management. People said they were sure that staff and management would resolve any concerns or complaints appropriately.

People felt the home was well managed. For example we were told the registered persons were “ordinary people,” who would spend time with them, and listen to how they felt about the service. There were satisfactory systems in place to monitor the quality of the service.

14 May 2014

During a routine inspection

This inspection was carried by one inspector during one day. During the inspection, the inspector worked to answer five key questions; is the service safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary describes what we observed, the records we looked at and what people using the service, their relatives and the staff told us.

If you want to see the evidence that supports our summary please read the full report.

Is the service safe?

Yes we judged the service was safe.

People told us they felt safe and secure. The people we spoke with were positive about the staff who worked with them. People told us staff were caring and supportive. For example one person said 'I am very happy, all the staff are very kind. They are very good.'

The staff that we spoke with said they had confidence in colleagues' practice. Staff told us if they had any concerns about how people who used the service were cared for the registered persons would take their concerns seriously.

We saw that the home was well designed and maintained. Decorations and furnishings were homely, clean and comfortable. Equipment was well maintained and regularly serviced. Health and safety records were generally up to date although we were not presented with an up to date gas certificate.

On the day of the inspection the home was very clean and there were no unpleasant odours. The people who used the service all said they were happy with the standard of cleanliness. People said the laundry service was satisfactory.

We inspected the staff rotas which showed that there were sufficient staff on duty to meet people's needs throughout the day and night. People said they received a consistent and safe level of support. For example we were told if people rang the call bell staff would come to assist them promptly.

Is the service effective?

Yes we judged the service was effective.

People all had an individual care plan which set out their care needs. Care plans contained satisfactory information and were accessible to staff. People said staff met their needs and responded promptly when they needed assistance. People had access to doctors, district nurses, chiropodists and opticians and suitable records were maintained regarding this support.

Is the service caring?

Yes we judged the service was caring.

People who used the service said they were supported by kind and professional staff. We were positive about the care practice we observed. Comments included 'I am very comfortable. I like it here. The care staff are very good,' and 'It is very, very good here.'

Our observations of the care provided, discussions with people and records we looked at enabled us to conclude that individual wishes regarding people's care and support were taken into account and respected.

Is the service responsive?

Yes we judged the service was responsive.

The people we spoke with all said the staff treated them with respect and dignity. The care practice we observed was professional and supportive.

People who used the service told us there was a range of activities available. If people did not want to get involved with organised activities this was respected.

People were positive about the care they received. People we spoke with said their care was unrushed and received in a way they wanted staff to provide it. From reviewing records we judged care plans included suitable information to assist the staff who worked at the home.

Is the service well-led?

Yes we judged the service was well led.

The home had a system to check people were happy with the service. People's personal care records, and other records kept in the home, were accurate and complete.

People who used the service, and the staff were positive about the registered manager and senior staff. People told us if they had any concerns or complaints management were approachable and would take suitable action. The owners of the home are actively involved in the running of it, and will visit the home several times a week. There was clear evidence the registered persons do what they can to ensure the home is well run and is continually improving.

23 September 2013

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We spoke with eight of the 21 people who lived at Garsewednack Residential Home. We also spoke with the providers, the registered manager and three staff members. We also spoke with two relatives of people who lived at Garsewednack.

In the main people told us they were happy to live at the home and we observed most people appeared content and liked the staff that assisted them. People told us they had a choice about how they spent their day. Some of the people we spoke with told us they felt there were not enough activities offered at the home to stimulate them. We reviewed care documentation and saw people were not involved in their care planning or in the review process.

We saw there were areas of the home which were not maintained to a high standard of cleanliness.

We reviewed the policy and procedure for the administration of peoples' medicines and saw there were adequate processes in place to ensure the safety of people who lived at the home.

People were not cared for by staff that were supported to deliver care and treatment safely and to an appropriate standard.

17 May 2013

During an inspection in response to concerns

We spoke with five people who lived at Garsewednack. They told us they liked living in the home and that the staff were kind and helpful to them. One person said 'the staff are lovely people' and another said the staff are kind and we have a laugh together'.

People told us they had a choice of how they spent their day, including the time they got up and went to bed. We were told activities took place in the home and people said they chose whether to join in with these or not.

We observed that the staff showed respect to people when they spoke with them the atmosphere calm, relaxed and friendly during our visit.

We found improvements needed to be made regarding infection control procedures in the home. For example, the laundry flooring and procedures regarding the washing of soiled laundry did not promote the control of infection within the home.

Staff were supported by the senior staff and were provided with regular supervision and training.

The views of people who used the service were consulted regarding the running of the home through daily conversations, quality monitoring surveys and regular 'resident's meetings'.

5 February 2013

During an inspection in response to concerns

We spoke with three people who lived at Garswednack. They told us they liked living in the home and that the staff were kind and helpful to them. One person said 'I couldn't ask for better, I am so well looked after here'.

People told us they had a choice of meals and that the food provided to them was 'excellent' and 'lovely'. One person we spoke with said the food was served in large portions.

We observed that the staff were respectful to people during conversations and there was a calm, relaxed and friendly atmosphere in the home during our inspection. Staff were knowledgeable about people's care needs and we observed they discreetly offered support and guidance to people regarding their mobility and personal care needs during our inspection.

At this inspection of Garswednack we walked around the home and looked at the communal areas and some people's bedrooms. We saw that the home looked clean, tidy and the decoration homely. We noted a slight unpleasant odour in three areas of the home. The home was warm during our inspection with the heating on, and people who used the service confirmed that they felt warm enough.

We saw that equipment was available for people to use if their care needs required this. Equipment was obtained through a loans service and the home were supported by the community nursing service to ensure people had the equipment they needed.

15 December 2012

During a routine inspection

People we spoke with told us the staff looked after them well and they liked living at the home. One person said they felt safe and at Garswednack. Two visitors to the home told us they considered staff to be competent and skilled when caring for their relatives and they had confidence in the home. They told us the staff were always polite and respectful to them and their relatives.

At this inspection of Garswednack we walked around the home and looked at the communal areas and some people's bedrooms. We saw that the home was clean, tidy and the decoration homely.

We spoke with five people who used the service and they told us they were able to make various choices throughout the day with regards to their food and drink. For example, when they had drinks and what they ate at tea time. One person said 'the food is nice, I always like it' and another told us 'the food is nice, sometimes I don't like the lunch but I don't say anything'. Two people we spoke with did not know what they were going to be provided for their lunch. They did not see this as a problem.

We observed a member of staff administer the lunch time medication to people and saw this was carried out safely in a way that reduced the risk of errors being made.

1 December 2011

During an inspection looking at part of the service

People told us they were well cared for at Garsewednack. They told us the staff were very kind and caring and the food was to their liking. They told us the staff were very kind and that there were enough staff to care for them.

People also told us their privacy was respected and they could see visitors in private if they wished. They told us they liked the home's environment and their individual rooms and that the staff worked hard every day to make sure the home was kept clean and tidy.

They knew who the manager was and told us she was in the home most days and they could raise concerns to her if necessary.

22 July 2011

During an inspection in response to concerns

People using the service told us they were well cared for at Garsewednack. One person said she had been living in the home for over two years and loved it there. She said 'We are all friends together'. Another person said 'It isn't very nice here because it isn't home. It's OK and I mustn't grumble'. We spoke to three people visiting the home and they were all happy with the care provided for their relatives.

People using the service told us their privacy was always respected and they could see visitors in private if they wished. They told us the daily routines were set, for example getting up and going to bed, mealtimes and tea and coffee breaks. They told us that the staff were kind and caring. Those who could talk to us said there would be no problem voicing concerns to any of the staff if the need arose. They told us they liked their rooms and some people said they had some of their own furniture. They told us the staff work hard every day to make sure home is kept clean and tidy.