Scarborough House

We found the following areas of good practice:

Staff worked hard to ensure that people at Scarborough House could maintain contact with family and friends during periods when COVID-19 restrictions did not allow indoor visits. An outdoor area had been devised where people could meet their visitors. Window visits were facilitated, alongside virtual chats on phones and tablets.

All staff undertook both PCR and lateral flow tests in order to protect the people they cared for. Where staff tested positive, they were supported to isolate at home and the appropriate authorities informed. Handovers and staff breaks had been modified to ensure that only small groups gathered at any one time. If staff did meet in one room, they remained socially distant and wore PPE.

The home had purchased adequate amounts of personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure that staff could protect themselves and people living in the home. Staff had received training from both external and internal trainers with regard to donning and doffing PPE. Used PPE was disposed of as clinical waste.

Cleaning schedules were comprehensive and had been updated in light of COVID-19 risks and frequent cleaning of high touch areas was undertaken by all staff, both day and night. The home had a large stock of cleaning detergents which had been checked for their efficacy in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

The manager had undertaken an extensive infection control audit and actions had been implemented to improve prevention measures. No-one living at Scarborough House had tested positive for COVID-19.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found