The Care Quality Commission
  • Care Home
  • Care home

Archived: Swallowfields Care Centre

45 Alexandra Road, Epsom, Surrey, KT17 4DB (01372) 745903

Provided and run by:
Aims Care Partnership

Important: The provider of this service changed. See new profile

All Inspections

3 September 2013

During a routine inspection

We carried out an inspection at Swallowfields to look at the care and support provided to the people who used the service. We spoke to four people who used the service, three members of staff, the deputy manager and two relatives. People told us that they liked living at Swallowfields. They said that staff were kind and treated them with respect. One person told us 'There is nothing I don't like about living here.'

People said that they had opportunities to take part in activities they enjoyed and they had opportunities to take part in outside activities (such as swimming) in a way that supported their independence.

People's care needs were monitored and the relatives we spoke to told us they were kept informed and involved in the review of any care.

Both the people who used the service and their relatives felt they were safe at Swallowfields. We were told 'I feel safe' and 'No qualms.'

We looked at the staffing rotas during our inspection and found that the provider ensured that a sufficient number of staff were available during each shift to care for the people who used the service. We found that staff received the training, supervision and support they needed to do their jobs.

The provider showed us the most recent quality assurance surveys which told us that both the people who used the service and their relatives were happy with Swallowfields and the care and support it provided.

20 March 2013

During a routine inspection

On arrival we asked for the registered manager by name and were told that this person had left some time ago. The current manager had been in post since November 2012 but had not yet registered with CQC. This meant that was no registered manager in post who was responsible for the regulated activity.

During our visit we observed that staff interacted positively with people who used the service. We saw that staff treated people with respect and dignity.

We saw that people were involved in the day to day running of their home. For example, people told us that they chose what to eat each day and we saw that choices were on the daily menu.

We looked at three care records and noted that each person had a person centred care plan. We noted that care plans and risk assessments were up to date and that these had been reviewed regularly.

At the time of our visit the home looked clean and tidy. The service had an infection control policy and a designated infection control lead person who was responsible for infection control. We saw records that showed that infection control audits were completed regularly.

The provider had a complaints policy, however, at the time of our visit the manager could not locate the complaints file and complaints log. We spoke with one relative who told us 'If I was unhappy about something I would speak to the manager'.

1 May 2012

During an inspection looking at part of the service

Our inspection visit involved two compliance inspectors and took place between 11.00 and 15.30 hours on one day. Our inspection visit was carried on an 'unannounced' basis which meant that the services were not told beforehand that we would be visiting.

During our site visit we spoke to three people who live at the service and we consulted with four staff members. The site visit was in part facilitated by the provider. At the time of our visit two people were on holiday with the registered manager and staff.

People who live at the service told us that they the liked the staff member supporting them. Another person described the staff member supporting them as 'my friend'. We observed that the interactions between staff and the people they were supporting were relaxed and sensitive with people clearly at ease in the company of staff.

A person told us that there is always staff around to support them and that they were always staff to be able to support them to undertake a planned for activity.

6 September 2011

During a routine inspection

People told us they liked living at the service because it was a friendly place to live. People showed signs of being relaxed in their environment and at ease in the company of staff and other people living at the service. People told us how much they liked having their own private space which they could personalise. A carer told us that the service 'is always spotlessly clean'. Staff spoke about some communal areas now looking 'quite stale' and how parts of the service looked 'institutionalised' and were in need of being made more homely.

Staff gave us examples of the improvements to people's independence and behaviour patterns since they moved to the service. This they felt was due to the staff being aware of people's needs and the support they required. A carer feedback that they felt that sometimes the service did not always provide the appropriate support to people who have more complex needs.

People who live at the service were actively involved in the preparation and in choosing what they wanted to eat and when and where they wanted to eat. A carer said that 'the food is excellent and plenty of it'.

People who live at the service told us that they felt safe. Carers and people told us that if they had any concerns they felt confident to raise any concerns with the manager.

People described staff as 'lovely' 'kind' 'fun' and 'I can talk to them'. A carer said 'staff would do anything to help'. A staff member said 'the only thing that we can improve upon is getting more staff recruited and having more staff on shift'. A carer spoke about the previous improvements that their relative had made which they felt was due to the skills of some staff in being able to understand the specific needs of their relative but felt that new staff did not seem to have these skills for these improvements to continue .

A person told us that they felt able to tell staff anything that could be improved about their care and support.