Saxonwood

We found the following examples of good practice. People were supported by staff to have visits from friends and family. All visits were by appointment only and there were good safety measures to ensure as far as possible people were prevented from the risk of infection. There was a choice of visiting in the home or in a visitor's pod in the garden. The pod was cleaned between each visit. Some people's relatives lived at a distance and staff supported people to stay in touch through video calls. If relatives did not have facilities for video calling, staff provided updates via telephone or email.

People were supported to go out safely and, where possible, were encouraged to wear a mask and to take a lateral flow device (LFD) test when they returned to the home.

The registered manager told us that throughout the pandemic increased focus had been placed on providing additional activities to support people's emotional wellbeing. We saw that there was increased emphasis on arts and crafts. People had been involved in creating murals on corridor walls and there were photos of people's participation also displayed. During the summer months vegetables and flowers were grown. People told us they were looked after well.

Some changes had been made to the property and to procedures to promote safety. These included changing the entrance to the side of the property so that all visitors had immediate access to hand washing facilities on arrival. Light fittings in all communal areas were replaced with sensor lights. Communal toilets were now designated to individuals to avoid cross contamination. Some areas that were previously carpeted had been replaced with new flooring that was easier to clean regularly. Staff uniforms were washed on site.

The home had experienced two outbreaks, one affected people and staff and the second affected staff only. Additional measures were put in place during outbreaks such as staff wearing scrubs and additional PPE and people were cared for in their bedrooms. The dining room and lounge areas were altered to ensure greater social distancing. Following each outbreak an assessment was made of what worked well and what could have been done differently.

All staff wore PPE and had received training on infection control, putting on and taking off PPE, hand washing and COVID-19 awareness training. This training had been updated at regular intervals. The registered manager and deputy manager had also completed infection control champion training. Spot checks were carried out to ensure staff remained competent in all these areas. Hand sanitisers were readily available throughout the home. There were detailed arrangements to ensure all laundry was handled safely

and the risk of cross contamination minimised.

The home was clean throughout. There were cleaning schedules to demonstrate the routine and additional cleaning that was carried out. Personal protective equipment (PPE) was stored appropriately and was strategically placed throughout the building. Regular testing for people and staff was taking place. All staff now had an LFD test prior to every shift. People were also supported to have a monthly PCR test.

The home had some long-term agency staff that were used from time to time. They ensured that these staff received essential training to work at Saxonwood and they were also assessed in terms of competency to make sure that in the event of a staff shortage they would be able to take on all staff responsibilities. A number of staff also completed additional training to ensure they could step into different roles if the need arose.

At the start of the pandemic staff shift times had been increased in an attempt to reduce the footfall into the care home. It was recognised that the longer hours were difficult for staff and following a period of staff consultation there were plans to reduce the length of shifts. Staff told us they welcomed this move.

The registered manager told us they had very good support from within their organisation and externally. They attended a registered manager's forum and had also taken part in training provided as a result of attending these forums.

The registered manager told us that staff support and wellbeing had been a priority. Gifts were provided for all staff and staff that normally used public transport were given taxis to work instead. All staff received regular one to one support. One person told us that everyone had received a red rose and chocolates for Valentine's day. They were really pleased with this gesture.

Throughout the pandemic the home had strong support from their GP. Weekly video calls were made to the home and the GP was able to see each person in turn to check they were well. The registered manager told us a nurse practitioner had also recently been allocated to the home and they were also working closely with the medicine's optimisation team.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found