Devonshire House

Updated 8 March 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.

Inspection team

One inspector and one Expert by Experience carried out this inspection. 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

Devonshire House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Devonshire House is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post. There was a planned departure and a new manager had been appointed.

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 authority and professionals who work with the service. The provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 5 people who live at Devonshire House and 5 family members of people who live in the home. We also spoke with the acting manager, district manager, and 10 staff from the care team, maintenance, catering and housekeeping.

We reviewed a range of records. This included care records and medication records. We looked at 3 staff files in relation to recruitment. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We requested some further records after we had visited the home so that we could conclude the inspection.

Updated 8 March 2023

About the service

Devonshire House is a residential care home providing care to up to 69 people. The service provides support to mainly older people some of whom are living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 48 people using the service.

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

People and their relatives told us they felt safe living at Devonshire House. All staff from every department were well thought of and words such as , ‘fantastic, lovely and kind’ were used to describe them.

Improvements to systems and reporting procedures had ensured that any events such as people falling and accidents leading to bruises were effectively managed and people were kept as safe as they could be along with appropriate medical interventions.

The quality assurance system was now more effective in identifying the issues we found during the last inspection. The action plans put in place at our last inspection had been effective.

Medicines were stored and managed safely within the home. Medicines were administered in a timely manner and in a way that respected people’s preferences. People’s medicines were considered in relation to whether they may contribute to the risk of falling.

Staffing levels meant that people were safe and they received their care in a timely manner. Recruitment procedures had been followed to ensure new staff were suitable.

Staff felt supported to carry out their roles effectively. People and staff were asked their opinions on the quality of the service. Relatives told us that they were happy with the service. One relative said, “We liked it here straight away. We liked its approach to us and our relatives.”

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

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 requires improvement (report published 9 June2022).

Why we inspected

We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions Safe, Responsive and Well-led which contain those requirements.

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.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good based on the findings of this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Devonshire House on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

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