• Care Home
  • Care home

Archived: Abbotts Court

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Wingate Lane, Wheatley Hill, County Durham, DH6 3LP (01429) 820866

Provided and run by:
HC-One Limited

Important: The provider of this service changed. See old profile

All Inspections

27 August 2015

During a routine inspection

This inspection took place on 27 August 2015 and was unannounced. This meant the staff and provider did not know we would be visiting.

Abbotts Court provides care and accommodation for up to 39 older people and people with a dementia type illness. On the day of our inspection there were 29 people using the service.

The home did not have a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (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. The home had a new manager in post who had applied with CQC to be the registered manager.

Abbotts Court was last inspected by CQC on 18 June 2013 and was compliant.

There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty in order to meet the needs of people who used the service. The provider had an effective recruitment and selection procedure in place and carried out relevant checks when they employed staff.

Accidents, incidents and safeguarding concerns had been recorded appropriately and analysis carried out, for example, on falls.

Medicines were administered appropriately and people received their medicines at the time they needed them.

Staff training was up to date and staff received regular supervisions and appraisals, which meant that staff were properly supported to provide care to people who used the service.

The home was clean, spacious and suitable for the people who used the service.

CQC monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which applies to care homes. The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) are part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. They aim to make sure that people in care homes, hospitals and supported living are looked after in a way that does not inappropriately restrict their freedom. We discussed DoLS with the registered manager and looked at records. We found the provider was following the requirements in the DoLS.

People who used the service, and family members, had provided consent to care and treatment.

People who used the service, and family members, were complimentary about the standard of care at Abbotts Court.

Staff treated people with dignity and respect and helped to maintain people’s independence by encouraging them to care for themselves where possible.

We saw that the home had a full programme of activities in place for people who used the service.

Care records showed that people’s needs were assessed before they moved into Abbotts Court and care plans were written in a person centred way.

The provider had a complaints policy and procedure in place and people knew how to make a complaint.

The service had strong links with the local community.

The provider had a robust quality assurance system in place and gathered information about the quality of their service from a variety of sources.

18 June 2013

During a routine inspection

We observed staff providing care and support to people throughout the inspection. There was a calm, friendly atmosphere around the home and people were seen to respond positively to the staff throughout.

During our visit we found peoples' care and welfare needs were met in a way which ensured their safety. One person who lived at the home told us, 'The staff always pop in to make sure I'm alright. You get good food and your well looked after. They always consider me as I can't walk. I did the right thing moving here.' Other people said 'It's a good hotel' and 'I'm well looked after here.' A visitor told us 'I've no complaints.'

We found the provider had made suitable arrangements to manage and store peoples' medicines safely.

We also found the provider had taken steps to make sure only suitable people were employed to work in the care home. This was because thorough background checks had been carried out.

We saw the provider had a good system to regularly assess and monitor the quality of the service people received.

At out last inspection in November 2102 we found the provider was not protecting people against the risk of inaccurate records. This was because some people's care plans had not been kept up-to-date. At this inspection we found improvements had been made. We found people's care plans were accurate and up-to-date.

29 November 2012

During a routine inspection

We spoke with several people who used the service and three visitors. Everyone spoke positively about the service.

People told us they could choose how to spend their day and the staff treated them with dignity and respect. One visitor told us 'my mam's clothing is usually always coordinated. They (the staff) had taken time to do that. She is dressed well and her hair is always nice.' People using the service said 'They treat me decently,' 'Nothing's a trouble,' 'The staff are always there to help' and 'It's excellent here.'

Everyone said they would have no hesitation in making a complaint if they were unhappy.

Other comments from people included:

'If I needed something staff would get it. They get my paper delivered daily.' 'There is nothing to be frightened of here.'

"I am well looked after here.'

Visitors said 'I feel my relative is well looked after and safe here. The girls (staff) are lovely' and 'they are A1. They are brilliant, absolutely wonderful.'

We watched how the staff supported the people in their care. We saw people were treated with dignity and respect. For example, when staff talked with people they made sure that they got down to their eye level. When people were supported to walk, they were not rushed but supported to move at a pace comfortable for them. We heard staff address people respectfully, speaking quietly about private matters.

We found some people's personal records were not accurate and up to date.