St James Court Care Home

We found the following examples of good practice.

The provider followed current guidance when admitting new people into the service. People were not accepted into the service without a negative covid-19 test result. They were then isolated for 14 days to prevent any possible risk of cross-infection. The provider had identified several bedrooms in one area of the service that would be used for isolating people if they became symptomatic. Designated staff would be used if required to provide care to those people.

There were appropriate measures in place to enable visitors to see their loved ones in a safe way. A booking system was in place and a visiting area enabled visits to take place safely. There was guidance/notices in the room that explained the requirements prior to the visit taking place. This included the use of PPE, such as wearing disposable gloves, aprons and face coverings. Appropriate steps were taken prior to visits to prevent the spread of infection. For example, visitors taking a lateral flow test and waiting for a result before the visit took place. The room was thoroughly cleaned before the next visit took place.

The provider had identified an area for staff to use to change their clothing into staff uniform prior to the start of their shift. Staff had received donning/doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE) training and followed current guidance on the use of PPE. Staff had received online IPC training and additional training provided by Barnsley local authority. Staff had a covid-19 lateral flow test twice weekly and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to ensure they had not contracted the virus. Most staff had received their first covid-19 vaccination. Staff who had chosen not to receive the vaccination had attended a wellbeing meeting with the manager. Appropriate risk assessments had been completed as required. The provider followed current guidance if either a staff member or a person who used the service became symptomatic or had a positive covid-19 test.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found