Archived: Diamond House

Updated 31 March 2020

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by two inspectors and 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.

Service and service type

Diamond House is a ‘care home’. 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.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authorities who commission the service on behalf of people. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 12 people and five visiting family members. We spoke with the registered manager, deputy manager, a team leader, a domestic assistant, two members of care staff and visiting health care professionals.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to training. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, and the minutes of staff meetings.

Updated 31 March 2020

About the service

Diamond House is registered to provide care and support for up to 74 older people. Diamond House increased its capacity from 44 to 74 people in January 2020. The additional accommodation is provided in a purpose-built extension. All the accommodation is provided over two floors, with each floor providing a number of communal rooms and bedrooms. At the time of the inspection there were 44 people using the service, a majority of people were living with dementia.

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

A family member told us, “This place is brilliant, I’m really pleased with it, the carers here are fantastic.” And a person living at Diamond House told us, “I would recommend this service wholeheartedly.”

People were safe at the service, they trusted and had confidence in staff. Potential risks were assessed and kept under review. People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff who had undergone a robust recruitment process. People had their medicines safely when they needed them. However, improvements were needed to ensure people’s rights were fully upheld and decisions made in their best interests. The premises were safe, well-maintained and clean.

People’s needs were assessed and kept under review. People were supported by staff who had the necessary skills and knowledge. Staff received ongoing support through training and supervision, to enable them to provide good quality care. Staff promoted people’s health, and people accessed health care services when needed. People’s dietary needs were met, with menus detailing the daily choices available.

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. However, best interest meetings and their outcomes needed to be consistently implemented.

People, and in some instance’s family members were involved in the development and review of care plans. People and family members spoke highly of the care and support provided by staff, and the friendly atmosphere of the service. Family members felt welcomed by staff. People assured us their privacy and dignity was respected, and that they were encouraged to maintain their independence.

People had the opportunity to engage in activities within the service, which included pantomimes, and dramas performed by professional entertainers. Children from the local area visited the service, spending time with people and joining in activities. Concerns were actioned; however these were not recorded. People and family members told us there had no concerns or complaints about the quality of care.

People, family members and staff spoke favourably about the management of the service, stating the management team were approachable and always available to answer any queries. A system to audit the quality of the care and service provided was implemented. Management meetings were held, however the topics discussed were not recorded. An action plan was not in place to evidence how the registered manager planned to drive improvement.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was outstanding (published 14 August 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.