Background to this inspection
Updated
31 December 2015
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 25 November and was unannounced.
The inspection team comprised of one inspector and one expert by experience. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses a dementia care service.
We contacted commissioners for social care, responsible for funding some of the people living at the service. We also reviewed the information we held about the service which included notifications of significant events that affect the health and safety of people living at the service. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law.
During the inspection we spoke with six people living at the service and six relatives. We spoke with three members of care staff, the registered manager, deputy manager and the provider. We reviewed the records of four people, which included plans of care, risk assessments and medicine plans. We also looked at recruitment files of three members of staff, a range of policies and procedures, maintenance records of equipment and the building, quality assurance audits, feedback forms and minutes of meetings.
Updated
31 December 2015
The inspection took place on 25 November and was unannounced.
Ivy House is registered to provide care for up to 20 older adults. They specialise in dementia care. At the time of our inspection there were 18 people living at the service.
Accommodation is provided over two floors. There is a stair lift available to the first floor.
Ivy House has a registered manager in post. 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 told us that they felt safe at the service, and were happy living there. Staff had a good understanding of how to safeguard people and protect them from abuse. Staff were confident about what action they would take if they had any concerns, this would include reporting concerns to the registered manager.
People were protected by safe staff recruitment procedures. There were sufficient numbers of staff to meet people’s needs. Staff had received training which reflected the needs of the people living at the service and enabled them to provide support in a safe manner. We saw risk assessments in place in people’s plans of care to promote their safety.
We saw that people received their medication in a timely and safe manner, administered by staff who were trained in the administration of medication.
People were offered choices with food and drinks and appropriate support was given when needed. There were drinks and snacks available between meals.
The registered manager and staff understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA), and supported people in line with these principles. This included staff seeking consent from people before delivering care.
People’s health and welfare was promoted and they were referred to relevant healthcare professionals in a timely manner to meet their health needs.
People’s plans of care were personalised and accurately reflected people’s care and support needs, the plans of care included information about people’s life histories, interests and likes and dislikes which provided staff with sufficient information to enable them to provide care effectively.
The service had an atmosphere which was warm, friendly and supportive. We saw staff positively engaging with people living at the service and treating people with dignity and respect.
Audits and checks were effectively used to ensure people’s safety and the building and equipment were well maintained.
The provider and registered manager provided effective leadership to the service and sought regular feedback from people living at the service, and their relatives. They encouraged staff to attend meetings to share their views in order for them to review and develop the service.