Exmouth House

We found the following examples of good practice.

The management and staff team had worked very hard to ensure people maintained positive wellbeing and contact with their loved ones throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. People told us how wonderful the staff team were and praised them for creating a sense of community saying that even during isolation periods they had never felt alone. The registered manager had recently left the service but they had spent time handing over to the new manager to ensure continuity for people.

An online secure 'relative's gateway' had been set up enabling messages and photographs to be shared from around the world and we saw how people had been supported to be part of family celebrations, share what they were doing and stay connected. Staff printed out chosen photographs for display. There were also portal devices around the home that could be used to access the internet. For example, one person loved to watch a fish tank and enjoyed moving online images. People also were enjoying a new penpal scheme.

The whole staff team were involved in activities with people. During our inspection most of the home were enjoying a bingo game. Another person had an easel set up in the light conservatory. There were themed meals such as Chinese New Year with decorations. The chef dressed up as Cupid for Valentines Day. A trolley served various purposes such as a market shop, fish bar, ice cream parlour and coffee stand to try different coffees. Residents' meeting enabled people to discuss their anxieties on the pandemic. A 'Rising Vibe' scale was used to monitor people's feelings so staff could further target mental wellbeing and support. The new manager said they tried to do something fun each month for people as well as staff. That evening there was to be a pizza night to celebrate staff awards. The home Facebook page showed what people were doing and praised staff. Comments from families were all positive and showed appreciation for the communication.

Staff were very well supported by the management team and the provider. The new manager had attended Mental Health First Aid training and a counsellor had visited the home to support staff in person. There had been regular praise and treats and awards for the staff team to show appreciation of their good work.

There was an infection control and prevention champion. They had devised a bespoke induction training pack to easily inform staff about infection control and prevention in simple terms and to monitor staff competency. Staff received ongoing training in infection control and staff had received training regularly from various sources to ensure they were up to date.

The service ensured people could continue to receive visitors in line with government guidance. There was a clear process, including a health questionnaire and testing regime in place for visitors, with personal protective equipment (PPE) provided. A dedicated visiting pod had been purchased accessed from outside.

Families were able to become essential care givers as part of the staff team if they wished, book visits and safely visit people in their rooms. Throughout the pandemic people at the end of their lives had been able to spend time with their loved ones.

Staff were seen to wear PPE throughout the inspection. They frequently used hand sanitiser, available throughout the home. The large group of people in the lounge during the inspection told us how safe they felt and how amazing staff had been.

There was an extensive cleaning schedule, with regular spot checks and audits. This ensured cleaning was completed to a high standard.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found