Anchor House

Anchor House is registered to accommodate up to seven people. At the time of our inspection there were seven people living at the home in one adapted building in a residential area of Poole.

We found examples of good practice which included the following:

Each person had a 'My Covid-19 Visiting Support Plan. This helped identify their needs and any risks in relation to the pandemic. There was clear guidance for visitors to understand what was expected of them with regards Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) procedures. There was a supply of fluid repellent surgical masks for visitors and additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including aprons and gloves if visitors were intending to meet with people living there. All visitors were met, health screened and escorted by staff during visits to monitor compliance with infection control and ensure peoples' and staff member's safety. All visits were pre-booked to reduce the numbers of people in the home at any one time. When face to face visits were not possible, the home had supported alternative ways of people staying in touch with those important to them via email, telephone and video calls. The home was exploring how to safely support indoor visits in the winter months.

When people had needed to isolate or shield, staff had helped them to do this. A regular group of staff supported people to maintain consistency and reduce the risk of cross infection. The layout of the lounge had been modified to support social distancing guidelines. Staff wore PPE in line with government guidance.

To help maintain people's wellbeing staff provided enhanced levels of interaction including additional personalised sensory activities. Staff had created three flower beds in the large, secure outside space which gave people stimulation through colour, smell and texture.

The home used two devices for Aerosol Generating Procedures (AGP). The up to date IPC policy provided clear detail about how these should be operated safely. Staff understood and followed this guidance. The home had ensured staff had and wore all the necessary enhanced PPE to carry out these procedures. The local fire service had provided training to make sure the required masks fit well and kept staff safe.

The home had an IPC lead in place. Allocated staff were required to conduct daily environmental audits to ensure cleaning was kept to a high standard. The home was visibly clean throughout.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found