22 March 2021
During an inspection looking at part of the service
We found the following examples of good practice.
The home allowed visiting in line with government guidance. Robust measures were in place to prevent the risk of infection spread. This included temperature checks, lateral flow testing and a detailed questionnaire upon arrival.
Management had developed a traffic light system where a small coloured dot was in place on each person’s door to indicate whether they were in isolation or not. This presented a clear visual cue to staff without being undignified for people.
A plentiful activities timetable was in place to improve wellbeing and minimise isolation despite the lack of external activities. This included themed nights, for example, people had recently enjoyed an Irish themed dinner for St Patricks Day. A newsletter had been developed to keep people and their loved ones informed of events in the home.
The home allocated staff to each floor to minimise risk of infection spread. There was a clear plan in place should an outbreak of COVID-19 occur, to support people within their own floor of the home. One room upstairs had been converted into a lounge area, so people could still interact without the need to go downstairs.
A designated housekeeping team were in place. We saw staff regularly cleaning high touch points, for example door handles, throughout the inspection. Checklists were in place to allow consistent cleaning throughout the home and frequent deep cleaning of people’s bedrooms.
Staff were wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) appropriately. Posters detailing how to don and doff PPE were displayed throughout the home. Management completed regular spot checks to ensure staff maintained good infection prevention and control (IPC) practice.
People and staff were taking part in an appropriate testing regime. A specific room had been set up where tests could be undertaken and recorded. A folder was seen with clear tracking of testing, this was monitored by management.