Archived: Gorselands Court Limited

Updated 29 January 2019

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 7 January 2019 and was unannounced. The inspection was carried out by an adult social care inspector. With permission we were able to visit two people in their apartment.

Before the inspection we looked at our own records, to see if the manager had submitted statutory notifications and to see if other people had sent us feedback on the service.

During the inspection we spoke with two people who use the service, three carers/housekeepers, the training provider, two deputy managers and the registered manager.

We reviewed a range of documentation including two care plans, risk assessments, medication records, records for four staff, staff training records, policies and procedures, auditing records, health and safety records and other records relating to how the service was managed.

Updated 29 January 2019

This comprehensive inspection took place on 07 January 2019 and was unannounced.

The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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.

The last inspection of the service was carried out in January 2018 and during that inspection we found a breach of Regulation 17 relating to the governance of the service. Systems for monitoring, checking and improving the quality of the service were not robust enough to identify some of the areas that required improvement that we noted during our inspection. At this inspection we found that improvements to systems of monitoring had been implemented to ensure the health and safety and wellbeing of the people living there.

This service provides care to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is bought and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care service. People using the service lived in ordinary flats within a retirement complex.

Not everyone using Gorselands Court Limited receives the regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of this inspection there were two people receiving care and support.

The registered manager and five deputy managers had systems for reviewing, monitoring and assessing the quality of the service. The provider was undertaking their own internal audits of the records, therefore they were able to demonstrate how they monitored and identified any shortfalls. There was a plan to collate all information gathered and to take action to drive improvements.

The registered manager had ensured that staff received regular support, training and supervision and had the skills, knowledge and experience required to support people with their care and support needs. Training materials were up to date and reflected current good practice guidelines and legislation.

People received their medicines on time and the information available to staff about people's medicines was up to date. There were risk assessments in place so that staff had the guidance they needed to ensure people received their medicines safely. People's risk assessments were in place and had been updated and reviewed to reflect changes in their needs.

Care records were informative and up-to-date. Each person using the service had a personalised care and support plan and a risk assessment. All records we saw were complete, up to date and regularly reviewed. We found that people and their relatives were involved in decisions about their care and support.

We found that recruitment practices were in place which included the completion of pre-employment checks prior to a new member of staff working at the service and disciplinary procedures had been followed appropriately and in accordance with policies.

Staff received an induction programme, regular training and supervision to enable them to work safely and effectively. There was also an up to date staff handbook that all staff were given and staff were informed when there were any updates.

People's GPs and other healthcare professionals were contacted for advice about people’s health needs whenever necessary and when people requested their support.

The provider had systems in place to ensure that people were protected from the risk of harm or abuse. We saw there were policies and procedures in place and training to guide staff in relation to safeguarding vulnerable adults.

The service had quality assurance processes in place including service user questionnaires. The service’s policies and procedures had been reviewed in 2017 and information shared by the registered manager told us the provider was updating them again in January 2019. The policies included health and safety, confidentiality, mental capacity, medication, whistle blowing, safeguarding and recruitment.

People told us they were happy with the staff and felt that the staff understood their care and support needs. The two people we spoke with had no complaints about the service. The provider had a complaints procedure in place and this was available in the ‘Service User Guide’.