9 May 2017
During a routine inspection
The inspection took place on 9 May 2017 and was unannounced. The last inspection of this service took place in March 2015 and at that time the service was rated as good.
At the time of inspection there was a registered manager in post who was also the registered provider. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
The service was managed by the registered manager, a deputy and a trainee manager who all shared responsibility for running the service on a day to day basis.
At the previous inspection we found that the registered manager had not met the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). At this inspection we found there was still a lack of understanding around DoLS. We made a recommendation that the provider take the necessary steps to increase their knowledge and make the necessary DoLS applications to ensure people were not being deprived of their liberty unlawfully.
People were safe at Conifers. Risks to people were managed safely and positively which ensured people received safe care that met their needs whilst at the same time allowing them to exercise choice and control.
Staff were aware of their whistle-blowing and safeguarding responsibilities. They knew the signs to look for that might indicate that people were being abused and who to report any concerns to.
Medicines were managed safely by staff who were trained and assessed as competent to give medicines safely.
Systems and processes were in place to ensure the safe recruitment of staff with sufficient numbers of staff deployed to meet people’s needs safely.
People were supported to make choices about how they wanted to live their day to day lives including exploring interests and maintaining relationships that were important to them.
Staff felt well supported by the management team who were accessible and listened to them. A regular programme of training was provided with opportunities for specialist training relevant to meeting the needs of the people who used the service.
The service supported people to have enough to eat and drink which reflected their preferences and helped them maintain a healthy balanced diet.
People’s health and wellbeing was maintained. Staff worked with healthcare professionals and were pro-active in referring people for assessment or treatment. The service kept detailed health records and shared this information appropriately with the relevant health and social care professionals. This meant that people’s health was closely monitored to ensure they received any treatment they required in a timely fashion.
Staff had formed positive relationships with people who used the service. People’s privacy and dignity was respected at all times and people were treated with kindness and respect.
People were supported by a longstanding and stable workforce who knew them well and promoted their independence.
The care and support people received was personalised and met their individual needs and preferences. People, or their representatives, were involved in making decisions about how the support was delivered so they felt listened to and included.
The registered manager was held in high regard by people, relatives and staff who all felt included in the running of the home.
There was an open culture and the provider encouraged and supported staff to provide care that was centred on the individual.
There were systems in place to ensure the quality and safety of the service and respond appropriately to complaints and feedback.