Archived: Valley View Care Home

Updated 11 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

The inspection was carried out by 1 inspector 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

Valley View Care 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. Valley View Care 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.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since it first registered. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service, including Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. 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 spoke with 3 people who lived at the home and 3 relatives. We also spoke with 6 staff which included care workers, the activities coordinator and the registered manager. We reviewed a range of records. This included 4 people's care records and medication records. We looked at the recruitment of 2 staff members as well as records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate the evidence we found.

Updated 11 March 2023

About the service

Valley View Care Home is a residential care home providing accommodation for people who require personal care. The service can accommodate up to 59 younger and older people and people living with dementia or require support with their mental health. At the time of the inspection there were 55 people using the service.

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

Quality assurance methods were in place, but they were not always effective. Records lacked detail about how risk was managed. Information about people’s needed was recorded on paper and electronically. This did not support staff to deliver the right care to people.

There was a lack of oversight to manage training; staff had not completed required training for their role. No actions were in place to address this. The service relied on agency staff; the provider was actively recruiting for additional staff. We found agency workers did not always communicate effectively with people.

There was a lack of engagement with people and activities for people to participate in. Where activities were provided, they were not stimulating for people.

There was good management of medicines. Guidance was in place for staff to follow and relatives felt their loved ones were supported well with their medicines. Health professionals were involved in the delivery of peoples care and relatives felt staff responded appropriately to any health concerns. Health practitioners gave positive feedback about the staff.

Staff knew people’s needs and promoted their independence. People were offered choices. The registered manager regularly obtained views from people and relatives and acted on feedback.

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 and update

This service was registered with us on 2 October 2020 and this is the first rated inspection. We carried out a targeted inspection on 20 January 2022 to review Infection Prevention and Control but no overall rating was given.

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.

Enforcement

We have identified breaches in relation to Good Governance at this inspection. You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

Follow up

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