Archived: Alexandra Park Home

Updated 8 December 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

The inspection was carried out by two inspectors and 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.

Service and service type

Alexandra Park Home is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with CQC. 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 announced. We gave a short period notice of the inspection due to restrictions in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What we did before the inspection

We looked at the information we held about the service. This information included statutory notifications the provider had sent to CQC. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law.

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 contacted local authority commissioners and asked them for their views about the service. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spent time in the communal areas observing how staff provided support for people to help us better understand their experiences of the care they received. We spoke with the registered manager, the nominated individual, one of the owners and two care workers. We also spoke with two people who used the service and three relatives.

We looked at a range of documents. These included three people's records related to their care and support, medicines records, five staff recruitment records, staffing rotas, minutes from meetings and records related to the auditing and monitoring of the service.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 8 December 2021

About the service

Alexandra Park Home is a residential care home for up to 13 older people who are living with dementia and mental health conditions. Care is provided across two floors with a communal area on the ground floor. At the time of the inspection seven people were residing at the home.

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

People told us that they felt safe living at Alexandra Park Home. Safeguarding processes were in place to help safeguard people from abuse.

Risks associated with people's care had been assessed and guidance was in place for staff to follow to ensure people were kept safe and free from harm.

Medicines were administered and managed safely.

People were protected from the risks associated with the spread of infection. The service was clean and well maintained. There were enough numbers of staff deployed to meet people's needs and ensure their safety.

Appropriate recruitment procedures ensured prospective staff were suitable to work in the home.

Staff received appropriate induction, training and support.

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.

Care plans in place detailed people's needs and preferences. Staff knew people and their care needs well. People's needs were assessed prior to admission. Staff supported people to meet their health and nutritional needs. Staff worked with health care professionals to maintain people's health and wellbeing.

People were supported at the end of their lives in a dignified and personalised way. People and their relatives knew how to make a complaint if necessary.

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

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (report published 5 February 2021) where we had found that previous breaches of regulations had been rectified and improvements had been made. At this inspection, we also checked a breach of regulation from our report published 10 March 2020 and we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

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.

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.