Parklands Care Home

On this page

• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

This service scored 69 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. Staff listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. However, it was not always clear how lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.A system was in place for the recording of incidents and staff knew their roles in keeping people safe. The registered manager reviewed, analysed and had oversight of any issues. However, the records did not reflect the learning taking place after an event. Staff told us they learnt from when things went wrong and they would discuss how to improve but staff meeting minutes and weekly flash meeting records did not reflect this learning. The registered manager acknowledged the feedback provided during the inspection and committed to strengthening these records, so they more clearly reflected the service’s learning culture.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety was managed or monitored. They made sure there was continuity of care, including when people moved between different services.Pre-assessments were completed by the registered manager to ensure people safely transitioned into the service. Good relationships had been built with local health care professionals to ensure people could access additional health care when their needs changed. Staff sent appropriate referrals and escalated concerns quickly. Health passports were developed to share details about people’s needs when they moved to different care settings, helping to ensure smooth transitions.

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. Staff concentrated on improving people’s lives while protecting their right to live in safety, free from bullying, harassment, abuse, discrimination, avoidable harm and neglect. The provider shared concerns quickly and appropriately.Established systems were implemented to ensure the safeguarding of individuals. Staff members reported that they understood the procedures for raising concerns and expressed confidence in management’s ability to address these issues appropriately. Managers maintained effective oversight of all safeguarding matters and collaborated efficiently with the local authority to resolve identified issues. The registered manager demonstrated an understanding of their responsibilities when depriving an individual of liberty for safety purposes. Appropriate applications were in place as required to support the safeguarding of individuals.

The provider worked with people to understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. Staff provided care to meet people’s needs that was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them.Risks to people had been managed well and care plans were in place to help ensure staff had a good understanding and knowledge of how to keep people safe. However, improvement was required to ensure clearer recording of the mitigation in place. We also found people who were at risk of financial abuse did not have a risk assessment. A new electronic record system had recently been implemented within the service, so work was still ongoing to update and improve. The registered manager implemented financial risk assessments during the inspection to rectify this. There was no impact to people due, because staff knew people well and could clearly explain how to support them safely.

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care.Regular checks were taking place for the environment to ensure people’s safety. A system was in place for any maintenance tasks and staff could report any concerns quickly. Some areas of the service needed updating due to age, for example the main bathroom. The registered manager had raised this with the provider and plans were ongoing to improve this. We discussed with the registered manager guidance available to best promote a dementia friendly environment, which was taken into consideration at the time of the inspection.

The provider made sure there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received effective support, supervision and development. They worked together well to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs.Staffing requirements were monitored by the registered manager who reviewed people’s care needs on a regular basis. People told us there were enough staff to provide unhurried, safe care. One family member said, “I do think they have enough staff, and I never get a sense of them being overstretched, for example if I need to ask questions there is always somebody around to ask.”Staff received training to develop their skills, with ongoing support through regular supervision and observations to foster learning and growth. Thorough recruitment procedures and checks were in place to verify that candidates were suitable to assist vulnerable individuals.

The provider assessed and managed the risk of infection. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading and shared concerns with appropriate agencies promptly.The service was clean and tidy with a dedicated domestic team providing support daily to help ensure an infection free environment. Cleaning checks were in place to help monitor the cleanliness and staff wore personal protective equipment (PPE) appropriately. When we asked people if the service was clean, 1 person said, “One thing we have really noticed is that Parklands is really clean which I know can be quite unusual for a care home.”

The provider made sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. Staff involved people in planning, including when changes happened.Individuals received their medication promptly from staff who were skilled and confident in handling medications. Staff took care to reassure people as they assisted with medication, and they were familiar with each person's preferences.Training had been provided to ensure staff had the appropriate knowledge and skills. Processes were in place for the ordering and storage of medication. The registered manager had developed audits to check that medication was managed safely.