Archived: Forest Court Care Home

Updated 25 October 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check 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 27 and 28 September 2016 and was unannounced. The inspection was carried out by one inspector joined on the second day by an inspection manager. We spoke with the registered manager, the chef and six members of staff. We spoke with one person using the service, however other people were unable to communicate with us due to their needs. We saw how staff interacted with these people and used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us. We also spoke with four relatives of people using the service and a GP. In addition we reviewed records for six people using the service, toured the premises and checked records relating to the management of the service. We also received information from two social care professionals.

Before the inspection in March 2016, the provider completed a provider information return (PIR). The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. Before this inspection we reviewed information we have about the service including notifications. A notification is a report about important events which the service is required to send us by law.

Updated 25 October 2016

This inspection took place on the 27 and 28 September 2016 and was unannounced. The home was last inspected on 24 October 2013 and met all the legal requirements assessed at that time.

This service specialises in dementia care and can provide this to a maximum of 40 people.

Forest Court Care Home 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.

We received positive feedback from health and social care professionals, such as “I have seen them deliver some very good person centred dementia care which has enhanced the lives of the residents over the years that I have been visiting”.

People were at risk of receiving care from unsuitable staff because robust recruitment procedures were not always being applied. Medicines were generally managed safely although attention had not been given to some aspects of medicine storage.

Sufficient staffing levels were maintained and staff were supported through training and supervision to maintain their skills and knowledge to care for people living with dementia. Risks to people’s safety were identified, assessed and appropriate action taken. People had positive relationships with the staff team.

People were treated with respect and kindness and their privacy and dignity was upheld, they were supported to maintain their independence as much as possible. People and their representatives were involved in the planning and review of their care and people took part in a range of activities.

Staff received support to develop knowledge and skills for their role and were positive about their work with people. The registered manager was accessible to people using the service and staff. Systems were in place to check the quality of the service provided including surveys to gain the views of people and their relatives.