Archived: Queen Ann House

Updated 10 July 2021

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 Care Act 2014.

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

This inspection was carried out by three inspectors. The inspection was also supported by an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. The Expert by Experience contacted people’s relatives by telephone to request their feedback.

Service and service type

Queen Ann House 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 manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

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. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with two people who used the service. We spoke with the registered manager, the care manager, the health manager and the activity co-ordinator. We undertook observations of people receiving care to help us understand their experiences, especially for those people who could not talk with us.

We reviewed a range of records. This included seven people's medication records. We looked at six staff files in relation to recruitment. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including quality assurance, training records and health and safety were also reviewed.

After the inspection

We spoke with six people living at Queen Ann House and eight relatives by telephone. We also spoke with the deputy manager, a trainee health manager, one senior care worker and three care staff. We reviewed six care plans and associated care records. We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 10 July 2021

About the service

Queen Ann House is a residential care home providing personal care to people with a mental illness, some of who were also living with dementia. The service can support up to 22 people. At the time of the inspection the home was fully occupied.

Queen Ann House consisted of three houses that have been linked together to become one adapted building.

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

People told us they felt safe and happy living at Queen Ann House. Safeguarding processes were in place to protect people from abuse. Risks associated with people's health and support needs had been assessed and detailed guidance was in place for staff to follow.

During the inspection, we identified health and safety concerns which may have placed people at the risk of harm.

We have made a recommendation about the registered managers management and implementation of health and safety checks within the home.

There were quality monitoring systems and processes in place to identify how the service was performing and where improvements were required.

People were protected from the risks associated with the spread of infection. The service was clean.

There were enough numbers of staff available to meet people's needs and ensure their safety. Appropriate recruitment procedures ensured prospective staff were assessed as suitable to work in the home.

Medicines were managed and administered safely. However, guidance was not always available where medicines had been prescribed on an ‘as and when required’ basis. This was addressed promptly following the inspection.

Staff received appropriate induction, training and support and applied learning effectively in line with best practice. This meant people’s needs were safely and effectively met ensuring a good quality of life.

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.

Staff were caring and kind and relatives confirmed this. We observed staff responding to people's needs with kindness and respect.

Care plans in place detailed people’s needs and preferences. People’s care needs were assessed prior to admission and reviewed thereafter.

Staff supported people to meet their health and nutritional needs. Staff worked with health care professionals to maintain people's wellbeing.

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 29 May 2018).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

We undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe, effective and well-led only. We reviewed the information we held about the service. No areas of concern were identified in the other key questions. We therefore did not inspect them. Ratings from previous comprehensive inspections for those key questions were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

During the inspection we identified concerns with certain areas of health and safety at the home and the monitoring and management oversight processes of these. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Queen Ann House on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

The overall rating for the service has remained as good.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.