Southfields

We found the following examples of good practice.

Visits to the service were by appointment only and checks are completed on all visitors to the home to ensure they have a negative Covid-19 test result and where required have been vaccinated against Covid-19. Temperatures were also taken, and visitors were asked to sanitise their hands and to wear face masks. Arrangements were in place for visitors to meet people in dedicated places within the service, to minimise the risk of infection transmission.

Staff planned how many people could stay safely at the service by the layout of rooms. The layout of the building has been designed to support people to socially distance while continuing to spend time with each other and staff. Staff had put in a one-way system in the home to reduce direct contact between people, minimising risk of transmission. Staff supported and encouraged people to socially distance as much as possible. There were flats with separate entrances to use to minimise the spread of infection if required.

Staff worked closely with people, their relatives and health and social care professionals to ensure people were admitted to the service safely. Prior to people arriving, staff spent time getting to know people and discussing their expectations in regard to the home and infection control measures as they recognised anxiety has increased. We saw that the service used a range of materials and communication guides to support people in understanding the pandemic and the procedures in place. The service had good supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as face masks and hand sanitiser, these were readily available at stations throughout the service. Some people staying at Southfields could not wear masks, so staff provided clear pop-up screens which kept people safe but also made them feel more comfortable.

People and staff were following government guidance and the the current Covid-19 testing programme to quickly identify any infections. Staff completed infection control training and a nurse delivered training on how to wear PPE safely. Each member of staff also completed 'test and trace' Covid-19 training. During the pandemic lockdowns, a team of staff stayed at the service to support people. Staff were divided into bubbles to support each service user and minimise crossover of staff. Enhanced cleaning practices were in place and the building looked clean and well ventilated. There were infection preventative and control policies in place which were updated in line with government guidance. Updates were shared with staff daily.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found