Archived: Linden House Care Home

Updated 27 February 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 29 and 30 January 2018. The first day was unannounced. The inspection team on the first day consisted of one adult social care inspector, a specialist advisor in the care for people living with dementia 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. One adult social care inspector returned to the home on the second day to conclude the inspection.

In preparation for the inspection we contacted local commissioners, the safeguarding team and Healthwatch for feedback and reviewed the information we held about the service such as notifications, complaints and safeguarding information. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law.

Before the inspection the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form which asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection, we used a number of different methods to help us understand the experiences of people who lived in the home. We observed care and support in the communal and dining room areas during the visit and undertook a tour of the home. We spoke with the registered manager, general manager, deputy manager, five care staff, one domestic staff and the two cooks on duty. We spoke with eight people living in Linden House and six relatives/friends, one of whom was also a volunteer at the home. We also spoke with a district nurse and a GP who visited Linden House during the inspection.

We looked at a sample of records including six people’s care plans and other associated documentation, six staff recruitment files, staffing rotas, training and supervision records, minutes from meetings, complaints and compliments records, medication records, maintenance certificates, policies and procedures and quality assurance audits. We also looked at the results from the most recent survey carried out by the provider.

Updated 27 February 2018

We carried out an inspection at Linden House on 29 and 30 January 2018. The first day of the inspection was unannounced

Linden House is a single storey 'care home' for up to 41 older people and adults with physical disabilities. 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. Since the last inspection a new unit for up to 22 people living with dementia had been opened. There were 49 people accommodated in the home at the time of this inspection.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

The service was managed by a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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. The registered manager was supported in the day to day running of the home by a general manager and a deputy manager.

Improvements needed to be made to the way medicines were handled in the service. In particular, the recording of when prescribed topical creams were administered needed to be improved.

People told us they felt safe in Linden House and received good quality care. Staff had been safely recruited and there were enough staff on duty to meet people’s needs in a timely manner. People told us staff were kind, caring and respectful of their dignity and privacy.

We observed staff at the home communicating with people in a kind and caring way. People looked relaxed and comfortable and moved around the home freely.

Staff received the induction, training and supervision necessary to enable them to provide safe and effective care.

Care records accurately reflected people’s needs. Staff were knowledgeable about the support people needed as well as people’s preferences in relation to their daily routines.

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.

Systems were in place to help ensure people’s health and nutritional needs were met. People told us the quality of food was generally good.

The environment had been extended and refurbished to a high standard since the last inspection. A range of technology was used within the home to help ensure people received care that was responsive to their needs.

People were encouraged to provide feedback on the care they received. We reviewed the responses from the most recent survey carried out by the provider and noted a high level of satisfaction had been expressed about all areas of the service.

We found that audits and checks of the service were completed regularly and were effective in ensuring that required levels of quality and safety were maintained at the home.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.