4 May 2016
During a routine inspection
The home provides accommodation for a maximum of 34 people requiring personal care. There were 32 people living at the home when we visited. A manager was in post when we inspected the service who had recently applied to become the 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
At our previous comprehensive inspection of this service on 13 March 2015 there were two breaches of legal requirements. After the inspection, the provider wrote to us to say what they would do to meet the legal requirements in relation to how people would be treated with dignity and respect and how they would receive person centred care, in accordance with Regulations 9 and 10 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated activities) Regulations 2014. Since that inspection, the provider of the home has changed and a new provider has acquired the home.
People felt safe with the staff that cared for them. Relatives also felt their family members were safe at the home. Staff understood how to keep people safe. Care staff felt able to discuss their concerns with the manager and the manager understood their obligations for reporting concerns.
People liked the care staff supporting them and were supported when they required assistance. People felt assured that if they called for help, a staff member would respond. The manager followed the registered provider’s policy for ensuring staff were suitable for working at the home.
Staff understood people’s health and the risks to their health. They understood each person’s requirements and what was needed to keep them healthy.
Staff understood people’s medicines and how people preferred to take their medicines. People received the medicines as prescribed. Regular checks were made so that the manager could be certain that people received their medicines correctly.
Staff had an understanding of each person’s needs and preferences and how they would like to be cared for.
The manager understood their obligations under the law but their system for monitoring and checking whether decisions to deprive people of their liberty was not effective. The manager’s systems for sharing information needed to be improved so that staff knew what support to provide to lawfully keep people safe.
This is a breach in Regulation 13 of the Health and Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulation 2014.
People enjoyed the food they were offered although a greater availability of choices for people to make decisions for themselves would have enhanced their mealtime experience.
People were able to see professionals which included the GP and chiropodist for any other medical needs they had.
People were treated with dignity and care and staff took pride in understanding what delivering care with dignity meant.
Family members visited whenever they chose to and did not feel restricted from visiting in any way. People were encouraged to discuss their care needs with staff to ensure they received the care they wanted. Relatives also contributed to discussions about their family members care.
People understood they could talk to staff about any issues or concerns they had. Information about the complaints process was available to people and their families, as well as information about other organisations they could refer to.