9 Allenby Road

We found the following examples of good practice.

The service had signage outside the front door to alert visitors to restrictions on entering the building and the infection control measures they would need to take. Staff checked the temperature of all persons who entered the building and kept a record of these. Sanitising hand gel and disposable face masks were provided. A one-way system had been marked out around the premises to adhere to social distancing advice. There were 2m demarcation lines applied on the floor at an area where several rooms met, to remind people to stay in a particular zone until it was safe to move forward.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) was available in each person's bedroom. Staff wore appropriate items of PPE when they assisted people with personal care and wore face masks at all times. The home had a good supply of all the items they needed.

Risks to staff had been assessed, taking into account health conditions and high risks associated with people from black, Asian and other ethnic minority backgrounds. None of the staff team needed to be off work for shielding reasons.

The premises were kept clean by staff. Surfaces were disinfected regularly and wiped down. A deep clean took place at night. People's laundry was washed and stored separately to prevent cross-infection.

Staff and people who used the service were tested for Covid-19; latest swabs showed everyone tested negative.

Adjustments had been made to staff handovers and staff meetings. These were now held outside so staff could keep appropriate distance from each other. People who used the service could maintain distance from each other using different rooms for individual activities. There were also areas of the garden where people could maintain social distancing.

There was a detailed infection prevention and control policy in place which had been updated to take into account the risks from Covid-19. An infection control audit was carried out the day after our visit. This confirmed safe practices were in place. It was illustrated with photographs throughout to show the clean and tidy condition of the premises and the signage that had been put in place, as examples.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found