Claremont Care Home

Updated 11 March 2022

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of CQC’s response to care homes with outbreaks of COVID-19, we are conducting reviews to ensure that the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practice is safe and that services are compliant with IPC measures. This was a targeted inspection looking at the IPC practices the provider has in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.

This inspection took place on 19 January 2022 and was announced. We gave the service four hours’ notice of the inspection.

Updated 11 March 2022

This was an unannounced inspection that took place on 15 October 2018.

Claremont Care Home is registered to provide accommodation and care for up to 24 older people, some of whom were living with dementia. The home is situated in a residential area of Sale, Manchester and is close to public transport and the motorway network. At the time of this inspection, there were 24 people living at the service. Claremont Care Home is a 'care home', people in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

We last inspected Claremont Care Home in March 2018. At that inspection, we found multiple breaches of regulations, the service was rated inadequate in the well-led domain and rated requires improvement overall. We also issued a warning notice with regards to the lack of evidence to demonstrate ‘Good Governance’. At this inspection, we found no regulatory breaches and improvements had been made in each of the five key questions of safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.

A manager was in place at Claremont Care Home; they had previously been the deputy manager at the home. The manager was in the process of registration with CQC. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service.

During our last inspection in March 2018 we found aspects of the home was not safe. For example, we found a cupboard on the ground floor bathroom was unlocked which stored hazardous substances, such as cleaning products. At this inspection we found cleaning materials and other substances hazardous to health were now appropriately stored in a locked cupboard to minimise the risk of people being harmed.

At the last inspection, we found other issues affecting the safety of the environment. The provider did not have a risk assessment in relation to Legionella. Legionella is a type of bacteria that can develop in water systems and cause Legionnaire's disease that can be dangerous, particularly to more vulnerable people such as older adults. At this inspection we found the provider ensured the service undertook an external comprehensive legionella risk assessment in April 2018, which indicated the risk posed to people living in the home of contracting legionnaires disease was low.

Through our observations of staff interacting with people and from conversations with the staff, it was clear that they knew the people they provided care for well. They understood people's preferences, likes and dislikes. They also had a good understanding of people's past lives, which enabled them to participate in meaningful conversations with people.

People's needs were assessed before they moved to the home and care plans were in place to inform staff of their needs and how they should be met. Staff worked with other health care professionals to maintain people's health and wellbeing.

People’s care plans had improved and were person-centred and comprehensive yet easy to navigate and information was readily accessible. Each care plan also contained a one-page profile that provided key information about the person.

There were effective and established systems in place to safeguard people from abuse and individual risk was fully assessed and reviewed. Accidents and incidents were recorded and appropriate actions taken.

Medicines management and administration processes were reviewed during the inspection and found to be safe.

We observed the mealtime experience and found this to be relaxed and well organised. People received any help, support and encouragement they required to eat and drink promptly.

Recruitment practices were safe and records confirmed this. Newly recruited care workers received an induction. Training was provided on a regular basis and updated when relevant.

Significant improvements had been made which sought to ensure the service was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005. For example, new care planning documentation had been introduced, a robust framework for best interest's decisions and the involvement of 'relevant persons' had been established and the manager and wider staff group had completed specific MCA training.

It was clear to the inspection team the manager and provider demonstrated a renewed commitment and willingness towards improving the quality and safety of care provided at Claremont Care Home. Quality assurance practices were much more robust and taking place regularly.

Significant improvements had been made which sought to ensure the service was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005. For example, new care planning documentation had been introduced, a robust framework for best interest's decisions and the involvement of 'relevant persons' had been established and the manager and wider staff group had completed specific MCA training.

It was clear to the inspection team the manager and provider demonstrated a renewed commitment and willingness towards improving the quality and safety of care provided at Claremont Care Home. Quality assurance practices were much more robust and taking place regularly.