Archived: Park House Hotel - Care Home with Nursing Physical Disabilities

Park House Hotel is registered to provide accommodation and personal and nursing care for up to 24 people. Park House Hotel is a large historic building that has been adapted to ensure access for people with a physical disability. The service provides support for people who want to take a holiday break. The level of care and assistance required is assessed before guests stay at the service. The person receiving care or support is also able to have a family member, partner or companion accompany them.

The service had a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Please note that as the staff refer to people as ‘guests’ due to the nature of the service provided, we have used this term throughout the full report and in previously published reports.

During this inspection guests said they felt safe and that staff treated them extremely well. Safeguarding adults' procedures were in place and staff understood how to protect guests from the risks associated with abuse, and were encouraged to raise and report any concern they had. There was a whistle-blowing procedure available and staff said they would use it if they needed to. Risks associated with guests care were clearly identified, assessed and recorded.

Staff had been recruited safely and had been well trained. Staff had completed an induction programme when they started work and they were up to date with the provider's mandatory training. Staff received regular supervision and felt supported in their roles. They turnover of stall was very low and many had worked at Park House for a number of years.

Policies and procedures were in place to guide staff with the safe ordering, administration, storage and disposal of medicines. Medicines were managed, stored, given to guests as prescribed and disposed of safely by trained staff.

Staff acted in a courteous, professional and safe manner when supporting guests. The registered manager and staff prided themselves on paying close attention to detail, and were passionate that guests stays were always of high quality. There was an ethos that guests would be able to have a relaxing and individual experience. There were enough staff on duty with the skills and knowledge to provide people with the support they needed. Staff were attentive and responsive, guests did not have to wait for their support, and any requests were quickly attended to.

The registered manager and staff understood the main principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and acted according to this legislation.

There were appropriate arrangements in place to support guests to have a varied and healthy diet. The food provided was of very high quality, guests had a wide range of meals to choose from, and the catering team was very flexible in their approach and planning. Guests had access to a GP and other health care professionals when they needed them.

There was a friendly and welcoming atmosphere within the service, contributed to by every member of the staff team. There was a strong ethos of high quality customer service at Park House. Staff provided guests with support in a very respectful and dignified manner, ensuring that they respected their privacy. Staff were kind, caring and compassionate, and often went the extra mile to provide them with high quality care. Guests felt valued by staff and had confidence in them, guests valued this as an essential part of the experience of staying at Park House.

The service was extremely responsive to people's needs. Staff consulted guests staying at the service about their care needs and involved them in the care planning process in great detail. Guests were very comfortable and relaxed with staff. Support plans and risk assessments provided guidance for staff on how to meet guest’s needs and were reviewed regularly. Staff encouraged guests to remain as independent as possible and supported them to participate in a variety of daily activities. Staff worked sensitively with guests who had their care provided by a relative or partner, ensuring that they were unobtrusive and gained their trust.

The home was exceptionally well led. There were very effective systems were in place to monitor the quality of the service provided and ensure guests received safe and effective care. These included seeking and responding to feedback from guests in relation to the standard of care and oversight by a senior manager. Regular checks were undertaken on all aspects of care provision and actions were taken to continuously improve guests’ experience of care.

The registered manager and the head of care was very approachable and took action promptly if changes were needed. Staff were extremely positive and passionate about working at Park House, and enjoyed working at the service. They were enthusiastic about how the home was managed and benefitted from a clear management structure that was open and transparent. The registered manager attended local quality improvement events and was an active part of these networks. The registered manager and management team had a clear vision and process to provide high quality care and a holiday experience that guests considered to be of a very high standard.

We looked at care plans that clearly explained how a person preferred to be supported. We saw information about the choices that people using the service had made, showing people were fully consulted at every stage.

People were provided with a choice of nutritional meals that met their dietary requirements. Staff had access to the kitchen and were able to provide snacks at any time of the day or night if needed. People told us that they just asked any time of day for a drink and it was made for them.

We saw that recruitment files contained appropriate references, background checks plus interview information, showing how new members of staff had been selected. This supported the safety and well being of people using the service.

There was a clear complaints procedure that staff followed in the event of any complaints being received. Although none had been received for some time, staff were aware of the processes to follow. An information booklet about how to make a complaint was given to everyone on admission.

People's comments about the service they received at Parkhouse were positive. One person told us that they were provided with a unique service that they were unable to get anywhere else. People were satisfied with the care and treatment they received and said that it met their needs.

Everyone praised the staff team. We were told that staff were, 'Helpful, kind and caring.' Two of the people we spoke with commented that staff had time for them and nothing was too much trouble.

We found the environment was safe. People were pleased with the grounds, which one person described as, 'Exceptional.' However, we found that some of the d'cor and furnishings in bedrooms did not promote people's wellbeing. One person told us that they thought their room was tired and in need of refreshing.

Staff received sufficient training, which helped them to understand the needs of people who use the service.

The manager had put systems in place to check that people received a quality service.