We carried out an unannounced inspection of Abba Care Home on the 11 February 2015.We last inspected Abba Care Home on 14 November 2013 and found the service was meeting the requirements of the current legislation in the outcomes assessed. These were care and welfare of people using the service, management of medicines, safety and suitability of premises, staffing and complaints. During the inspection we found the service was meeting the required legal obligations and conditions of registration.
Abba Care Home is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 6 people with mental health conditions. The home is a detached house situated within five acres of fields, farms and gardens. It is located near to the small village of Weir. Accommodation is provided in single bedrooms. There are comfortable lounges, dining room, two bathrooms and a games/social room. At the time of our visit there were 6 people living in the home.
The home was managed by the registered provider who had legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
People using this service and their representatives were involved in decisions about how their care and support would be provided. The registered provider and staff understood their responsibilities in promoting people's choice and decision-making under the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). CQC is required by law to monitor the operation of the DoLS. We found the location to be meeting the requirements of DoLS.
People told us they were cared for very well and they felt safe. Staff treated them well and gave them all the support they needed. One person said “I feel perfectly safe living here and the staff are very good”. People told us they determined their lifestyle and did not have to conform to any institutional practices. Routines were flexible and people had their preferred lifestyle recorded in their care records. This supported people’s varying needs being met at times that suited them and prevented institutional routines and practices occurring.
People were cared for by staff that had been recruited safely and were both trained and receiving training to support them in their duties. Staff were kept up to date with changes in people’s needs and circumstances on a daily basis. We found there were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to attend to people’s needs and keep them safe
Contractual arrangements were in place to make sure staff did not gain financially from people they cared for at the home. For example, staff were not allowed to accept gifts, be involved in wills or bequests. This meant people could be confident they had some protection against financial abuse and this was closely monitored.
Individual risk assessments had been completed for all activities and were centred on the needs of the person. People’s rights to take risks were acknowledged and management strategies had been drawn up to guide staff and people using the service on how to manage identified risks.
People had their medicines when they needed it. Medicines were managed safely. We found accurate records and appropriate processes were in place for the ordering, receipt, storage, administration and disposal of medicines.
The home was warm, clean and hygienic. There were infection control policies and procedures in place and the service held a maximum five star rating for food hygiene from Environmental Health.
People told us they were satisfied with their bedrooms and living arrangements and had their privacy respected by all staff.
Each person had an individual care plan. These were sufficiently detailed to ensure people’s care was personalised and they were kept under review. People were given additional support when they required this. Referrals had been made to the relevant health and social care professionals for advice and support when people’s needs had changed. This meant people received prompt, co-ordinated and effective care.
From our observations we found staff were respectful to people, attentive to their needs and treated people with kindness in their day to day care. Activities were personalised, varied and people had good opportunities for community involvement.
People were provided with a nutritionally balanced diet. All of the people we spoke with said that the food served in the home was very good. One person told us, “The food is good and I can have what I want. There are plenty of choices.” People decided on their own menus and were involved in shopping for food.
People told us they were confident to raise any issue of concern with the provider and staff and that it would be taken seriously.
People had been encouraged to express their views and opinions of the service through regular meetings, care reviews and during day to day discussions with staff and management. There were opportunities for people to give formal feedback about the service in quality assurance surveys. Recent surveys showed overall excellent satisfaction with the service provided.
People said the management of the service was good. Staff and people using the service told us they had confidence in the registered provider and considered they were ‘listened to’.