The Gables Rest Home

Updated 12 May 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.

Service and service type

The Gables Rest 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 Gables Rest Home is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

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

The first day of the inspection was unannounced. The second day of the inspecting was announced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We sought feedback from 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 spent time seeing how people were cared for by staff and spoke with three people and six relatives. We spoke with eight members of staff including the registered manager, the deputy manager, senior staff, care workers, a care/activities staff member, and a member of administrative staff. We also spoke with two health and social care professionals who regularly visited the home, to obtain their views on the care provided.

We reviewed a range of records. These included three people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at records relating to the management of the service and the safety and quality of people’s care. For example, audits and checks undertaken by the registered manager and provider. These included the safety of the premises and equipment, promotion of people’s rights, complaints management, accidents and incidents and infection control. We reviewed a range of policies and procedures relating to infection control, people’s safety and staff support.

We saw the compliments received by the service, and feedback provided by people and their relatives. In addition, we looked at records showing us how staff were recruited.

Updated 12 May 2022

About the service

The Gables Rest Home is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to up to 24 people. The service provides support to older people who may live with dementia, physical disability, sensory or mental health support needs. At the time of our inspection there were 21 people using the service.

The Gables Rest Home accommodates people in one adapted building.

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

People were supported by staff who understood what action to take if they had any concerns for their safety. Staff were provided with the guidance required so they could support people to manage their risks. There were enough staff to care for people. The registered manager undertook checks before new staff worked at the home, so they could be assured new staff were suitable to work with people.

People were supported to have the medicines they needed by staff who had been trained to do this. The registered manager planned to review how they checked medication management, so they could be assured staff consistently had the guidance they required to administer “when required” medicines, and to fully evidence on-going checks on staff competency.

Systems were in place to reduce the likelihood of the spread of infections. The registered manager had worked with people and their visitors to ensure people continued to receive visits safely. Accidents and incidents were regularly reviewed so any lesson would be learnt.

People’s needs were assessed and informed through work with their relatives and other health and social care professionals. Relatives were complimentary about how staff used their skills and knowledge to support people. This included how staff monitored people’s health needs and advocated for them so they would enjoy the best health outcomes possible. Where staff had any concerns for people’s fluid or nutritional intake plans were developed to support them.

The home was undergoing a programme of refurbishment at the time of the inspection, but relatives gave us examples of creative ways staff used the premises to meet people’s needs.

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.

People had built good relationships with the staff who cared for them. Relatives were complimentary about the caring approach taken by staff. Staff gave us examples showing how they promoted people’s dignity, independence and involved them and their relatives in decisions about their care.

People’s care plans and risk assessments provided staff with the guidance they needed to provide personalised care to people. People were supported to keep in touch with other who were important to them and to do interesting things which they enjoyed.

Systems were in place to manage and take learning from complaints and concerns received. Other health and social care providers were complimentary about the care provided to people at the end of their lives.

Relatives, staff and other health and social care professionals told us the culture at the home was open and focused on the needs of the people living at the home. This helped to ensure people had good outcomes. The registered manager and provider undertook checks on the quality and safety of the care provided and planned to develop these further.

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for the service under the previous provider was good, published on 28 March 2019.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

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.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for The Gables Rest Home 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.