21 October 2016
During a routine inspection
At our last comprehensive inspection on 25 November 2015 we found two breaches of the regulations. These concerned the inadequate assessment of and action to reduce identified risks for people and the lack of arrangements regarding the assessment of people’s mental capacity and deprivation of liberty. The provider wrote and told us what they would do to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breaches.
We undertook this unannounced comprehensive inspection on 21 October 2016 and found the provider had followed their plan and had made improvements.
At the time of our inspection a registered manager was in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with CQC 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. However, the registered manager was not available on the day of our inspection but we were assisted by the team leader and care staff.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and report on what we find. We found that people’s rights were being protected as DoLS applications were in progress where required and had been submitted to the relevant local authorities.
People who lived in the home were assisted by staff in a way that supported their safety and that they were treated respectfully. There were healthcare and support plans in place to ensure that staff had guidance to meet people’s individual care needs. The care and support plans recorded people’s individual choices, their likes and dislikes and the assistance they required. Risks to people who lived in the home were identified and assessed to enable people to live as safely and independently as possible.
Staff cared for people in a kind, cheerful and sensitive way. Staff assisted people with personal care, activities/hobbies, cooking meals and domestic tasks throughout our visit to the home. Arrangements were in place to safely assist people with their medicines and nutritional needs. People were supported to have access to external health and social care professionals.
Members of staff were trained to provide care which met people’s individual needs and wishes. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities. They were supported by the registered manager and team leader to maintain and develop their skills and knowledge through regular supervision and ongoing training.
People were able to raise any suggestions or concerns they might have with the team leader and staff and people’s way of communicating was understood by staff providing support. We observed that people were listened to and staff responded to them in an understanding and attentive way
The team leader and members of staff communicated well to ensure that people’s needs, activities and appointments for people were responded to in a timely manner. Arrangements were in place to ensure that the quality of the service provided for people were regularly monitored by the registered manager, team leader and staff.
People who lived in the home were encouraged to share their views and arrangements were in place so that people could have their say about the care and services provided.