The inspection took place on the 26 October 2015. It was announced. During our last inspection of the agency in September 2013 the agency was compliant with all of the regulations assessed.
Plaxton Court provides housing for people over the age of 55 in Scarborough. It is a domiciliary care agency which enables people to be cared for in their own property with support from staff where this is required. There are 16 three bedroom cottages and 53, one and two bedroom self-contained flats. There are communal facilities available which people can access which included a shop, hairdressers, restaurant and gym. All are located in the Woodlands Vale area which is close to the town centre.
The agency has a registered manager. 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 they felt safe living at Plaxton Court. Staff had received safeguarding vulnerable adults training, and were clear of the action to take should a safeguarding matter be raised.
People had risk assessments within their care files to minimise risks whilst still enabling people to make choices. The agency submitted information regarding the number of falls to head office. The manager agreed that further analysis on accidents and incidents would enable them to look for trends or patterns.
Health and safety checks were carried out on the communal areas of the environment to maintain safety.
Both staff and people using the service said that staffing numbers were sufficient for the number of people currently being supported. People told us that call times were acceptable for people and were never missed. Staff were flexible in trying to support people. All staff went through a thorough recruitment procedure before they commenced employment.
People were encouraged to manage their own medicines and as they lived in independent accommodation their medicines were stored in their homes. We carried out a sample check of people’s medicines and found that they were ordered, stored and administered safely.
People told us that they received care from a regular team of staff who knew and understood their needs.
All staff received induction, training and supervision to support them in their roles. A new e-learning training programme had been introduced which staff were working their way through.
People gave their consent to any care or treatment. They told us that staff did not carry out any tasks without asking them it was okay first.
The staff told us that they did not ever carry out restraint. They told us that the increase of numbers of people living with dementia meant that this was an area that they needed to be knowledgeable about and some people had already attended training in caring for people living with dementia.
As people lived independently in their own accommodation there was a restaurant on site and this was used by many people. Some people required support from staff with their meals. Meals could also be delivered to people in their homes from the restaurant.
People attended their own health appointments but staff told us that they would call the GP if someone was unwell or required attention. People told us that staff responded quickly in an emergency.
People spoke highly of the care delivered by staff. They told us staff were friendly and kind. People told us they were treated with dignity and respect and spoken with in a polite manner.
People told us that the agency was able to respond to any changes in need. They described staff as ‘flexible.’ Staff told us that they would always try to offer additional support if someone was unwell for instance or if they required additional time.
People told us that they did not have any complaints but would feel confident in raising any issues with the registered manager or with staff. Policies and procedures were displayed in communal areas.
Quality monitoring systems within the organisation had been reviewed and updated. A new quality audit tool had been developed and the registered manager told us that the new audits had commenced. In addition the agency carried out a number of daily checks, held meetings with people and staff and had a number of committees and forums so that people could share their views. This all helped to monitor the quality of care being delivered at the service.