Avondale Lodge Care Home

We found the following examples of good practice.

● Information was easily accessible on arrival or before visits to ensure visitors followed guidance, procedures or protocols to ensure compliance with infection prevention control.

● Staff wore appropriate personal protective equipment including a mask, gloves and apron when delivering personal care to all people.

● There were designated areas for donning/doffing personal protective equipment (PPE).

● Safe arrangements were in place so staff appropriately socially distanced during breaks.

● The service followed national guidelines regarding testing of people before admission to the service. All staff and residents were also regularly tested as part of 'whole home testing'.

● People were assessed daily for the development of a high temperature (37.8°C or above), a cough, as well as for softer signs of infection such as shortness of breath, loss of appetite, confusion, diarrhoea or vomiting.

● All areas of the service were uncluttered to ensure cleaning could take place effectively.

● Any staff in high risk groups such as black and minority ethnic (BAME) had been risk assessed, and adjustments had been made.

● Staff were trained and knew how to immediately instigate full infection control measures to care for people with symptoms to avoid the virus spreading across the home.

● People knew how to raise any concerns or complaints around IPC practice if they thought it was unsafe or not effective without fear or discrimination.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found