The inspection took place on 8 and 17 December 2015 and was unannounced. This was the first inspection under the new registration. The service was previously registered under another provider.The Abbeys is care home which provides personal care for up to 80 people, including those living with dementia. Accommodation is provided in two separate buildings, the main home where the registered manager is based, The Abbeys, and the Abbeydale unit which is in the same grounds. It is located on the outskirts of Rotherham and has good public transport links. At the time of our inspection there were 48 people using the service.
The service had a registered manager in post at the time of our inspection. 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.
The registered manager had been in post approximately five months and was in the process of setting up systems and processes to assist in the management of the service.
Some people we spoke with felt staffing levels were low. We spoke with the registered manager who told us this would be kept under review. We observed care and in the main people’s needs were met.
People received their medicines safely and they were appropriately stored. We looked at records in relation to medicines and found some had not been completed correctly.
The provider had a robust recruitment policy and pre-employment checks were carried out prior to new employees commencing their role.
We looked at care plans and found they contained a section on risks relating to people’s care and support. These included risk assessments for chocking, malnutrition, dehydration, and moving and handling.
We saw records to show staff had completed training relevant to their roles. However some training was required and we saw a training plan which addressed this.
The provider was meeting the requirement of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Where people lacked capacity, decisions were made in the person’s best interest.
People were offered a nutritious diet and choices were available. We saw snacks and drinks were offered throughout our inspection.
We saw people were referred to other professionals when required to meet their healthcare needs. People we spoke with and their relatives said this would be done without delay.
We observed care workers on the upstairs unit which provided support for people living with dementia. Staff were polite and friendly but on occasions did not show strategies for managing difficult situations.
Staff could explain to us how they would ensure people’s dignity was respected. However, we saw one person’s trousers were very creased. This showed a lack of dignity and respect for the person.
The home employed an activity co-ordinator who organised social events for people. A lot of people preferred to spend time in their bedrooms.
Care plans were in the process of being updated and the registered manager told us this was being addressed as a priority.
The home had a complaints procedure displayed in the entrance of the home. People felt they could raise concerns and felt confident that they would be addressed.
People we spoke with felt the management team were approachable. Most people knew the registered manager and were happy to talk with her regarding their care.
We saw several audits had been undertaken to ensure the quality of service provision. These included audits for care plans, medication, mealtimes, and catering. We also saw provider audits had been completed.
We saw evidence that people were involved and consulted about the service. We saw relatives had completed surveys to give feedback about their experience of the home.