Dell Field Court achieves ‘Good’ CQC rating

Your Choice Barnet’s Dell Field Care Home was recently inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator of all health and social care services in England.

The full report has been published on the CQC’s web page and can be found at Dell Field Court (cqc.org.uk)

During the inspection the CQC team of inspectors looked at three areas, ‘Is the service safe?’, ‘Is the service effective?’ and ‘Is the service well-led?’ They rated each of the areas as Good and we would like to share with you some of the comments they made under each of these areas.

Is the service safe?

This means that the CQC team looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm.

  • People felt safe and people’s loved ones confirmed this. A relative told us, “She is very safe and comfortable.”.
  • A staff member told us” I know about the signs and reporting abuse. I also know about whistleblowing
  • The registered manager told us staff retention was very good and as a result the service had not needed to use a high number of agency staff. The manager and provider reviewed people’s dependency assessments which ensured there were enough staff on shift to meet the needs of people.
  • Staff were recruited safely. Recruitment records contained all the necessary checks including ID checks, full employment history and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) background checks which prevents unsuitable staff from working with people.
  • Comments included ” My mother can be difficult, and the staff are so good and just take it with a “pinch of salt and are lovely to her,” and “The staff look after me so well.”
  • A staff member told us “We take medication very seriously; it is a big responsibility, and I am very careful. We have support if we need and good training.”

Is the service Effective?

This means that the CQC team looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment, and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.

  • An induction programme was in place and all care staff completed the Care Certificate during their induction period. The Care Certificate is an agreed set of standards that define the knowledge and skills for roles in care services.
  • Staff were provided with opportunities to discuss their individual work and development needs. Staff felt support by the senior team and had regular staff meetings and supervision sessions to discuss performance and any training required. The registered manager kept records and had a system in place to complete supervision and appraisals with staff.
  • Staff told us the registered manager was very supportive. Staff had been encouraged to further their professional development where they wished to do so.
  • Peoples’ nutritional needs were met. People told us they enjoyed the food at the service and were offered choices, Comments included, “The food is nice. The food today was really nice.” and “The food is lovely here. There are lots of choices for everyone.”
  • Care plans included information about people’s dietary needs and their likes and dislikes, or any specific aids people needed to support them to eat and drink independently. There were appropriate risk assessments and care plans in place for nutrition and hydration.
  • Appropriate referrals were made to healthcare professionals to manage any identified risks. Staff knew the guidance and supported people accordingly such as providing modified textured diets.
  • We observed over the lunchtime period that people were supported to maintain their independence to eat their meal at their own pace without being rushed in any way. Meals were served in a dignified and interactive manner. One staff member told us, ”We help people make choices in what they would like to eat, we have plenty of choice here.”
  • The home had recently completed maintenance work to ensure the home remained safe in the event of a fire outbreak and all the fire doors had been changed. People told us that disruption had been kept to a minimum and that they had been kept informed.
  • There was a suitable range of equipment and adaptations to support the needs of people using the service.
  • People told us they had comfortable rooms and we saw they had been personalised with their belongings. Relatives told us their loved ones were supported with choices and making their own decisions.

Is the service well-led?

This means that the CQC team looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture.

  • Everyone we spoke with praised the atmosphere in the service. It was described by relatives as being, “Very homely.” A relative told us, “It’s perfect here, you couldn’t get any better.”
  • All the people we spoke to were very complimentary about the registered manager. Comments included, “The manager is very pleasant and very amenable” and, “The manager is so good at his job; I think he runs a good care home.”
  • Staff spoke positively about their roles and were enthusiastic about ensuring people received good care and support. They told us the registered manager was clear about their role, responsibilities and led the service well. Comments from staff included, “He is very supportive and knows us well” and “The manager makes sure everyone is treated equally and does things by the book.”
  • The people and relatives we spoke to confirmed that regular meetings were held and felt confident to raise things with management and that these would be acted on.
  • Peoples cultural and religious preferences were fully considered during the care planning process. There was a floor dedicated to people of Asian origin and staff had been deployed who could speak Gujarati, and several other Asian languages.

Very well done and thank you to the manager Jayram Sauba and all his team at Dell Field Court for such a glowing inspection report, a great start to 2022!

2022-03-29T11:29:41+01:00March 29th, 2022|
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