Applewood Care Home

We found the following examples of good practice.

• During the outbreak, the provider ensured only people at the end of their lives received visitors indoors, in accordance with national policy. • The provider had in place effective measures, to ensure when visits resumed, these were safe. Visitors booked an appointment and completed a form about their health prior to visits. • Staff had designed and built a cleanable visiting 'pod' for visits within the service, for the safety of people, staff and visitors. There was also a summer house in the garden, which in addition to a gazebo had been used in the summer for visits to people. • People were well supported by staff to have telephone and internet contact with their relatives. The service had four iPads, to facilitate contact. • Staff ensured people's welfare had been maintained and they had sufficient stimulation. • Staff had used the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG's), 'COVID Oximetry at home service,' during the outbreak. Staff monitored and reported people's oxygen levels to a 'virtual ward,' which enabled the early detection of deterioration in people and rapid intervention and treatment. • Staff had supported people to uptake their COVID-19 vaccination. • The service had ample communal areas, which were well used, to ensure people could socially distance. • Processes were in place to ensure when the service resumed admitting people, they were admitted safely and self-isolated for 14 days, in accordance with national guidance. • Staff had received relevant training in infection prevention and control and used the PPE provided appropriately. • Staff and people had been tested for COVID-19 in accordance with national guidance. • Staff ensured the service was regularly cleaned and the environment was adequately ventilated. • The provider had processes in place to ensure vulnerable staff had been identified and supported appropriately. Changes had been made, to ensure staff staggered their break times and had access to sufficient space for their breaks to enable social distancing. • Many of the staff were trained to work across more than one department, which meant they had able to cover other roles when colleagues were absent.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found