Chelmunds Court

Updated 5 October 2022

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

The inspection team consisted of two inspectors and a specialist nurse advisor.

Service and service type

Chelmunds Court 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. Chelmunds Court 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 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.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

Inspection activity started on 5 August 2022 and ended 16 August 2022. We visited the service on 8 August 2022.

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. 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

People we approached only wished to speak briefly with us, so we observed people and their interactions with staff. We spoke with one relative during the inspection visit and a further four people's relatives via the telephone following our visit to gather their experiences of the care and support provided. We spoke with the registered manager, the deputy manager, the activity co-ordinator, housekeeper and five care/nursing staff. We reviewed a range of records. This included eight people's care records, medicine records, staff training information, three staff recruitment records, and records of the checks the registered manager completed to assure themselves people received a safe and good quality service.

Updated 5 October 2022

About the service

Chelmunds Court is a purpose-built residential care home providing personal and nursing care to up to 73 people. The service provides support to older people, some of whom, may have dementia. Bedrooms are located across two floors. People with nursing needs are based on the first floor with most people with dementia on the ground floor. At the time of our inspection there were 55 people using the service.

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

Since our last inspection there had been changes in the management of the home with many improvements noted. There were some issues found with records not being clearly recorded, but this had not resulted in any negative impact on people. Staff spoke positively about the impact of the new manager and how they were able to effectively carry out their role and responsibilities. People and relatives were positive about the service and had regular opportunities to provide feedback about their care. Any areas identified as needing improvement were shared with staff, so lessons were learnt.

People spoke positively about the home and people’s relatives felt people were safe living there. Staff understood their safeguarding responsibilities and people were observed to be relaxed around staff. Individual risks to people had been assessed and risk management plans were regularly reviewed to help ensure staff supported people safely. Medicines were stored, managed and administered in line with good practice guidelines. Infection prevention control was effectively managed. Arrangements were in place to ensure visitors to the home were made aware of infection control requirements to keep themselves and others safe.

Staff completed regular training to ensure they could meet people’s needs safely and effectively. 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.

Care plans guided staff about people's needs and how to meet them. Staff supported people to be involved in decisions about their care and were responsive to people’s needs.

People were supported to maintain relationships with people that were important to them. Staff were observed to be kind and caring in their approach and ensured people’s privacy, dignity and independence was maintained as appropriate.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 25 December 2020) and there were breaches of regulation. 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 the regulations.

Why we inspected

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

The overall rating for the service has changed from Requires Improvement to Good based on the findings of this inspection.

Follow up

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