The Meadows Care Home

We found the following examples of good practice.

● Safety precautions were in place for visitors, which included external signage to alert people to visiting restrictions due to a COVID-19 outbreak. Staff greeted professional visitors at the entrance to the service and reminded them of the infection control measures they would need to take. A supply of personal protective equipment (PPE), including hand sanitiser, was provided if visitors did not have their own. Discussions about symptoms and a temperature check took place before visitors entered the building.

● Visits for relatives were arranged in line with government guidance; the service was closed to all but essential visitors at present but had provided garden and window visits. Plans were underway to accommodate visits during winter and special arrangements for visiting during end of life care were in place. Relatives were kept up to date with regular letters from the provider.

● Measures were in place to ensure people kept in touch with family and friends. For example, they used video calls to relatives. Some people had their own mobile phones and others were supported to use the service's phone.

● Staff supported social distancing arrangements as much as possible and had reorganised the lounge and dining room to accommodate this.

● There were good systems of testing for COVID-19 for people and staff. Appropriate measures were in place when people were admitted to the service from hospital or the community.

● Staff wore PPE in line with government guidance and designated areas were set up within the service for staff to remove and apply PPE.

● The service was very clean and tidy, but also homely.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found