Archived: Dawn Rest Home

Dawn Rest Home is a residential care home providing personal care and accommodation to a maximum of 18 people aged 65 and over. The service does not provide nursing care. Where needed this is provided by the community nursing team. At the time of the inspection 18 people were living at the service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People who lived at Dawn Rest Home benefitted from a kind, caring and committed staff team. People and relatives told us they were treated with kindness, compassion and respect.

People were supported to make choices in relation to their care and lifestyle and their independence and rights were promoted and respected. Management and staff understood their role in relation to the Mental Capacity Act (2005). People’s consent was sought before care and support was provided. When people were unable to consent and make decisions for themselves appropriate processes were followed. People were protected from discrimination and abuse because staff understood how to safeguard people.

People’s care was delivered safely, by staff who were recruited safely and who undertook training relevant to the needs of people supported. Risks relating to people’s care and lifestyle were understood and managed well. Staff undertook specialist training when required in areas such as diabetes, skin care and end of life support.

People lived in a home that was well maintained, comfortable and designed to meet people’s needs. The design and layout of the home meant people could choose to be on their own or in the company of others. People had opportunities to occupy their time in a way they chose and preferred, and relatives and friends were welcomed at any time.

The provider, registered manager and staff had a good relationship with health and social care professionals and used these contacts to help ensure people’s full range of needs were met. Systems were in place to ensure the ongoing quality and improvement of the service.

We have recommended staff undertake up training in relation to equality and diversity and the provider completes more robust records to support their quality auditing processes.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at the last inspection

The last rating for this service was Good (Published 14 July 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating. The service has remained Good.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor the service to ensure that people continue to receive safe, compassionate, high quality care. Further inspections will be planned based on the rating. If we receive any concerns, we may bring our inspection forward.

We carried out this comprehensive inspection on 15 July 2017. At the last inspection, in May 2015, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

People told us they were happy with the care they received and believed it was a safe environment. The atmosphere was calm and relaxed. People moved around the building choosing where to spend their time and who with. People had good and meaningful relationships with staff and staff interacted with people in a caring and respectful manner.

There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff on duty to meet people’s needs. Staff completed a thorough recruitment process to ensure they had the appropriate skills and knowledge. Staff knew how to recognise and report the signs of abuse. Formal systems for supporting care staff were not in place or fully established and we have made a recommendation about this in the report.

The premises were arranged to meet people’s needs. People had access to quiet areas or were able to socialize with others in a sun lounge or large lounge. The gardens were pleasant and accessible. Garden furniture was provided so people were able to choose to eat outside if they wished. Bedrooms were of a good size and well maintained.

People received their medicines on time. Medicines administration records were kept appropriately and medicines were stored and managed to a good standard. Staff supported people to access to healthcare services such as occupational therapists, GPs, chiropodists and dieticians. Relatives told us staff always kept them informed if their family member was unwell or a doctor was called.

Any risks in relation to people’s care and support were identified and appropriately managed. Care plans contained information about people’s individual support needs. The depth of information in care plans was inconsistent.

There was a variety of home cooked meals on offer and people told us they enjoyed their meals. When necessary food and fluid records were kept to help ensure people received enough to eat and drink.

Management and staff had a good understanding of the underlying principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

At the last inspection we found management roles were not clearly defined. At this inspection we found improvements had been made in this area and the management structure provided clear lines of responsibility and accountability. Staff had a positive attitude and told us they enjoyed their jobs and worked well together. People and relatives all described the management of the home as open and approachable.

People and their families were given information about how to complain. There were effective quality assurance systems in place to make sure that any areas for improvement were identified and addressed.

Staff we met all recognised the importance of offering people choices in their daily lives. We saw that staff supported people respectfully during our visit.

Staff were knowledgeable about safeguarding. People we spoke to told us they felt safe at this service. One person said 'I'd talk to any of the staff and the manage is always around and very approachable'.

One person told us, 'oh, it's absolutely lovely here'. Another person said the staff were 'wonderful, really lovely people'.

We saw that people's wishes to spend time alone were also respected. One person told us they 'didn't mix all the time because it gets too much, but I join in when I want to'.

People were supported to access health services. People and their families were involved in discussing changes to their needs and to the care delivered.

The service had systems to monitor the quality, including questionnaires.

People had clear assessments of their needs and staff knew how to meet the needs of individuals. Staff recognised the importance of supporting people's choices and preferences in daily routines. We observed staff engaging people in a friendly but respectful way. Care was delivered by the same small team which ensured continuity.

There were enough staff with the skills and experience necessary to meet people's needs. They received a range of training to support them to deliver care.

The home offered people social activities such as team scrabble and singing songs. People's wishes for privacy, quiet and time alone were also respected.

People were supported to access health services. People and their families were involved in discussing changes to their needs and to the care delivered.

The home had systems to monitor the quality of care, such as surveys to obtain feedback from people who lived there.