Charlotte House

Updated 4 April 2023

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

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 2 inspectors.

Service and service type

Charlotte House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Charlotte House is a care home with nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection

We spoke with 4 people who used the service and 5 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 10 members of staff including the registered manager, nurses, senior care workers and care workers.

We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us. We spoke with three people who use the service and four relatives about their experience of the care provided.

We reviewed a range of records. This included 5 people’s care records, and 5 people’s medication records. We looked at staff files in relation to recruitment. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

Updated 4 April 2023

About the service

Charlotte House is a residential care home providing nursing and personal care to 64 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service is registered to support up to 103 people over 2 floors. However, some bedrooms within the home have been adapted and the service can only accommodate up to 73 people.

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

Improvements had been made since the last inspection. Risks to people were identified and managed. Where required people were safely supported with their medicines needs. Infection control measures were in place to prevent cross infection. Staff wore appropriate PPE and the home was clean throughout. People told us they felt safe.

People were supported by kind and caring staff who treated people as individuals and with dignity and respect. The provider had robust recruitment systems to ensure staff were safely recruited. Staff spoke knowledgeably about the systems in place to safeguard people from abuse.

People received care and support which was personalised and responsive to their needs. People’s choices regarding their care and how they were supported were respected, and there were enough staff to support this. Care plans were kept up to date to reflect any changes in people’s needs and wishes.

People and family members knew how to complain, and they were confident about complaining if they needed to. Complaints were used to improve the service. The support required by people with health and nutritional needs was identified and provided.

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.

The management of the home promoted a person-centred service. There was an open and transparent culture and good partnership working with others. The quality and safety of the service was monitored through regular checks.

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 (published 24 May 2022) and there were breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

At our last inspection we recommended that systems and processes to determine safe staffing numbers, training for staff and medicines storage were reviewed and improved. At this inspection we found these recommendations had been acted on and improvements had been made.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

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, which will help inform when we next inspect.