21 February 2018
During a routine inspection
Westfield Care Home is registered to accommodate up to 45 older people in one building. Some of these people were living with dementia. At the time of the inspection, 12 people were using the service.
Two registered managers were present during the inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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.
During the home’s previous inspection on 26 January 2017, we rated the home overall as ‘Requires Improvement’ although the service was rated as Good for the questions, ‘Is the service effective, caring and well-led?’ During this inspection, we found improvements had been made and the overall rating has now improved to Good.
The home was clean and tidy. However, the provider was currently working towards making required improvements to ensure it met the local clinical commissioning group’s infection control standards. People’s medicines were managed safely however, protocols for the consistent administration of as needed medicines were not always in place. The risks to people’s safety had been assessed and care plans were in place to support people safely. Some risk assessments would benefit from more personalised information to ensure they were always specific to people’s individual needs. People were protected against the risks of experiencing avoidable harm. Staff could identify the potential signs of abuse and knew who to report any concerns to. People were supported by an appropriate number of staff to keep them safe. Accidents and incidents were regularly reviewed, assessed and investigated by the registered manager.
People’s physical, mental health and social needs were assessed and provided in line with current legislation and best practice guidelines. People were supported by trained staff who had their performance regularly assessed. Staff felt supported by the registered manager. People spoke positively about the food. The risks in relation to people’s nutrition and diet had been assessed and appropriate action taken. The registered manager had built effective relationships with external health and social care organisations and people’s health was regularly monitored. The environment had been adapted to ensure people who had mental or physical disabilities were able to lead fulfilling lives. 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 supported this practice.
People enjoyed living at the home and felt the staff treated them with dignity, respect and were kind and caring. Staff listened to what people had to say and they had formed positive relationships with people. Staff were knowledgeable about their needs and people were involved with making decisions about their care. People’s diverse needs were respected. People were encouraged to lead as independent a life as possible. People were provided with information about how they could access independent advocates.
People’s care records were detailed and person centred. Some records required reviewing to ensure they were reflective of people’s current health needs. People felt their personal preferences and choices were respected. People were treated equally, without discrimination and systems were in place to support people who had communication needs. People were encouraged to take part in group activities and the provider had plans in place to provide more individualised activities for people. People felt able to make a complaint and were confident it would be dealt with appropriately. End of life care was not currently provided, however, systems were in place to support people with this if they needed it.
People felt able to give their views about the service. Relatives had been asked for their views and responded positively about the home. Staff felt valued and able to give their views about the how the service could develop and improved. The registered manager was keen to develop their role and skills. They were supported by the provider in doing so. Quality assurance processes were in place to assist the registered manager with monitoring the home and the quality of the service people received.