The Wells Nursing Home

Updated 11 May 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.

The Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by 2 inspectors over 2 days and was supported by an Expert by Experience for 1 day. 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

The Wells Nursing Home 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. The Wells Nursing home 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 provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

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

Notice of Inspection

The inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information that we held about the service such as notifications. These are events that happen in the service that the provider is legally required to tell us about. We sought information for the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the Inspection

We spoke with 7 people who used the service and 19 relatives. We spoke with 8 members of staff, including the registered manager. We undertook observations of people receiving care to help us understand their experiences. We reviewed a range of records. This included 8 people’s care records and 8 medicine records. We looked at 4 recruitment files and 1 agency profile. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were reviewed including, accident and incident records and audits. We sought feedback from professionals who work with the care home.

Updated 11 May 2023

About the service

The Wells Nursing Home is a Nursing Home providing personal and nursing care for up to 40 people. The home is a large adapted building. It has 2 floors and a passenger lift. People have access to a lounge area, dining room, conservatory and garden. At the time of our inspection there were 28 people using the service.

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

People’s capacity was not always consistently assessed in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and assessments were not being completed for specific decisions.

The provider audits and quality assurances took place to ensure the quality of the service was maintained. However, some risk assessments lacked detail. Quality monitoring had identified areas of the service that had improved since the last inspection.

People were kept safe from avoidable harm because staff knew them well and understood how to protect them from abuse. The service worked well with other agencies to do so. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it.

The provider had appropriate recruitment procedures in place to ensure staff employed by the service were safe to work with vulnerable adults.

Staff followed infection prevention and control measures. Medicines were managed safely.

Staff employed had the right skill set to support people. The provider had recruited a new activity person, they undertook group activities and visited people in their rooms to spend time with them.

People and staff were positive about the registered manager. There were systems in place to communicate with people and staff. The service worked in partnership with a range of professionals.

Staff were caring, and people were treated with kindness and respect. Staff knew people well and understood how to communicate with them. People's privacy was respected, and their dignity and independence promoted. Staff had an awareness of individuals' needs and treated people in a warm and respectful manner.

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 11 May 2022). 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 in relation to good governance. The service remains requires improvement. The service has been rated requires improvement or inadequate for the last 4 consecutive inspections.

Why we inspected

This inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.

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.

Enforcement and Recommendation

We have identified a breach in relation to Regulation 11 (Need for consent).

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.

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