Background to this inspection
Updated
4 March 2016
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 4 and 8 February 2016 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of one inspector.
Before the inspection, we asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the home, what the home does well and improvements they plan to make. We also looked at previous inspection reports and notifications about important events that had taken place at the service, which the provider is required to tell us by law.
We spoke with three people about their experience of the service. We spoke with two staff the registered manager and the provider to gain their views. We asked seven health and social care professionals for their views.
We spent time looking at records, policies and procedures, complaint and incident and accident monitoring systems. We looked at four people’s care files, four staff record files, the staff training programme, the staff rota and medicine records.
A previous inspection took place on 15 July 2014; the service had met the standards of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010.
Updated
4 March 2016
The inspection was carried out on 4 and 8 February 2016 and was unannounced.
The service provides accommodation and support for up to twelve older people. Accommodation is arranged over two floors. A passenger lift provides access between floors. Ten bedrooms are single occupancy and one bedroom is shared. There were ten people living in the service when we inspected.
A registered manager was in post and was present throughout the inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the care and has the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which applies to care services. At the time of the inspection, the registered manager had applied for DoLS authorisations for some people living at the service, with the support and advice of the local authority DoLS team. The registered manager understood their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Mental capacity assessments and decisions made in people’s best interest were recorded.
The registered manager provided leadership to the staff and had oversight of all areas of the service. Staff were motivated and felt supported by the registered manager and staff team. Staff told us the registered manager was approachable and they were confident to raise any concerns they had with her.
People were treated with kindness and respect. People’s needs had been assessed to identify the care they required. Care and support was planned with people and reviewed to make sure people continued to have the support they needed. People were encouraged to be as independent as possible. Detailed guidance was provided to staff about how to provide all areas of the care and support people needed.
People told us they felt safe. Staff had received training about protecting people from abuse, and they knew what action to take if they suspected abuse. Risks to people’s safety had been assessed and measures put in place to manage any hazards identified. The premises were maintained and checked to help ensure people’s safety.
Staff listened to what people told them and responded appropriately. People were treated with respect and their privacy and dignity was maintained. People told us that they had no complaints and if they did they would speak to the registered manager or staff.
There were enough staff on duty with the right skills to meet people’s needs. Staff had been trained to meet people’s needs. Recruitment practices were safe and checks were carried out to make sure staff were suitable to work with people who needed care and support.
People received their medicines safely and when they needed them. Policies and procedures were in place for the safe administration of medicines and staff had been trained to administer medicines safely.
People had access to the food that they enjoyed and were able to access drinks with the support of staff if required. People’s nutrition and hydration needs had been assessed and recorded. People were asked for feedback on their food and action was taken if required.
People participated in activities of their choice within the service. There were enough staff to support people to participate in the activities they chose. A volunteer also spent two afternoons a week with people participating in various activities.
Processes were in place to monitor the quality of the service being provided to people.