Longroyds and Pilling House Care Home

Staff had a visible presence in the home and rotas showed shifts were fully staffed. The provider reviewed people's dependency levels regularly. A recruitment check was not recorded as having been followed up, which meant the process was not robust.

Mental capacity assessments had been completed, although one person's assessments raised queries which we discussed with the management team. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People and relatives felt confident staff were suitably trained. The provider had identified training gaps before our inspection and was ensuring this improved. Staff said they were well supported, but they did not receive regular formal supervision support in 2022. This was addressed following our inspection.

Infection control was mostly well managed, although we noted occasions when staff were not wearing face masks correctly. Three relatives said they were not allowed to visit the home during an infection outbreak, despite having essential care giver status.

People and relatives felt safe at this care home and staff knew how to recognise and respond to signs of abuse.

Most people had a positive mealtime experience. We saw staff assisting people in line with their dietary needs. People were supported to have enough to eat and drink.

We have made a recommendation about support at mealtimes for people who may experience memory loss and have difficult making choices from the menu.

Staff worked with a range of healthcare partners and were able to spot the signs of ill health. Visiting healthcare professionals provided positive feedback about the care staff provided.

A range of quality checks were taking place in the home, although the provider needed to ensure timescales and completion of actions were clearly recorded. This had been identified by the provider before our inspection. The regional manager was closely involved with the running of the home and visited regularly.

Opportunities to provide feedback were being explored as there had been a limited number of meetings for people and relatives. Satisfaction surveys had been carried out, but it was not clear how negative feedback had been responded to.

Relatives said they felt they were kept informed about important issues. People we spoke with said they were well cared for. Staff told us they worked in an environment where the team worked well and there was a positive culture. Examples of lessons being learned and continuous improvement were evident at this inspection.