This inspection took place on 17 February 2015. It was unannounced.
Easterlea is registered to provide personal care and accommodation for up to 19 people. At the time of our inspection there were 17 older people living at the home. The registered manager told us none of them had significant medical conditions. A small number of people were living with the early stages of dementia, but the manager did not consider Easterlea to be a specialist dementia care home.
People were accommodated on two floors. Most people were in single rooms. Two people were sharing and told us they were happy to do so. Another double room had a single occupant. Shared areas of the home included a large lounge, dining area with small tables, and enclosed garden with a pond and paved area.
The manager had been registered with us since 2011. 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.
People were not always supported in a way that respected their privacy and dignity. We saw examples of care and support that did take people’s privacy and dignity into account but other examples that did not. Staff did not always use people’s preferred names in their handover records.
Care and support were provided with the person’s consent. Where people lacked capacity to make decisions the home was guided by the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. However capacity assessments were not always specific to a single decision as required by the Act. We have made a recommendation concerning capacity assessments.
People were kept safe because appropriate procedures were in place and followed with respect to safeguarding adults. Staff received training in safeguarding and were aware of their responsibilities to identify and report any suspicions of abuse. Risks affecting people’s safety and wellbeing were identified and assessed. Staff took steps to reduce the impact of risks to people.
There were sufficient, suitable staff to support people safely and meet their needs. Staff followed processes to make sure medicines were stored, handled and managed safely.
People were cared for by staff who were supported to carry out their duties by a system of training, supervision and appraisals. However, supervision meetings between staff and the registered manager were not always recorded and examples of poor practice were not identified. We have made a recommendation concerning supervision and observation of practice.
People were supported to have a healthy diet which offered a choice of appetizing meals. Where people had specific dietary needs, these were catered for. People were supported to maintain their health and wellbeing by access to healthcare services including their GP, community nurses, dentists and opticians.
Staff developed caring relationships with people and helped them maintain their independence. People had opportunities to participate in decisions about their care and support. Staff were aware of their responsibilities concerning equality and diversity.
People received care and support that met their needs and changed when their needs changed. Care and support plans were focused on the individual and their preferences. They contained information about their life history and interests which was used by staff to support them in appropriate activities and hobbies.
People did not feel the need to make a formal complaint, but they were aware that they could and were confident any complaint would be dealt with properly.
The service had an open and inclusive atmosphere. People were involved in their care and support, and the registered manager was available to both people and staff. Checks and audits were in place to monitor the standard of service provided and the registered manager sought feedback from people, their families and staff by both formal and informal methods.
We found one breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010 which correspond to the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.