Beechcroft Residential Home

We found the following examples of good practice:

The home had a visitor's policy in place and guidance notes, explaining the procedures to be followed, were displayed on the front door. All visitors had to have a negative COVID-19 test before entering the home and their temperature was checked. A pre-visit COVID-19 risk assessment was completed and personal protective equipment (PPE) was supplied. In line with current guidance family were only allowed to enter the home if their loved one had end of life care needs. Other visitors used the visitors' pod that had been erected in the back garden. All visits had to be pre-booked. As from Monday 8th March 2021, one designated family member/friend was able to visit within Beechcroft. Initially two such visits were bookable each day. Alternative arrangements were in place to keep people and their family/friends in contact. For example, telephone, email and video calls.

Visits from healthcare professionals were kept to a minimum, people only being visited if it was essential. Peoples' health care needs continued to be met with the staff team using telephone calls and emails to share information and gain advice. Every person had received their first dose COVID-19 vaccination as had the majority of the staff team.

The staff team maintained social distance from each other and the people they were looking after as much as they were able. When they were delivering personal care, they wore additional PPE – a face visor, apron and gloves. The home had spacious communal areas, so people were able to spread out from each other. The staff team recognised that for some people, being able to sit and chat with their 'friend' was important for their emotional health. All bedrooms were for single occupancy and all but one bedroom had their own en-suite facilities. PPE stations had been set up in various places around the home.

All areas of the home were spotlessly clean, tidy and homely. The service had increased the number of domestic hours since the start of the pandemic. Extra touch-point cleaning tasks (bannister rails, light switches and door handles for example) were carried out during the day and also by the night staff. The registered manager and deputy monitored the staff going about their duties to check staff compliance with wearing PPE and the cleanliness of all areas of the home.

The staff team were tested regularly for COVID-19 – twice a week with a lateral flow test (LFT) and once a week with a full PCR test. People were tested every four weeks. Additional tests were undertaken should anyone become unwell or present with COVID-19 symptoms.

The service had plentiful supplies of PPE. In addition to facemasks and hand sanitising gel, they had a supply of shoe-covers, gowns, face visors and head coverings. This was in preparation for if there was an

outbreak of infection. They had an air purifier machine for use when they needed to sanitise a room, for example.

The activities coordinator continued to support people with social activities each afternoon. Celebration days were always marked, and they were getting ready for Mother's Day. People were helped with setting up video calls with their family and a 'Wonderwall' had been set up in the lounge displaying photographs of events that had taken place.

The service had admitted four people since the start of the pandemic. Before they were admitted they had a negative COVID-19 test result and were isolated in their bedroom for a 14-day period and retested after two days. After one person had attended an out-patients appointment, they were isolated and tested regularly. The home has not had an outbreak of COVID-19 however early in the pandemic one person who was asymptomatic had a positive COVID-19 result. The location of their bedroom meant this area could be zoned off. The area became a 'red zone' and access into this part of the home was possible without entering the main building. If the service were to have an outbreak, there are two possible areas that could be zoned off.

Infection control training was part of the provider's essential training programme which all staff were expected to complete. An additional COVID-19 training programme had been introduced by the provider and this covered PPE, donning and doffing, what to do if feeling unwell and what to look out for if people are unwell.

The provider's infection prevention and control policies had been revised and updated to include all COVID- 19 guidance. The policies were in line with guidance produced by Public Health England, CQC and the Department of Health and Social Care. The local authority COVID-19 team were in regular contact with the service.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found