Archived: Radcliffe Gardens Nursing Home

Radcliffe Gardens Nursing Home is registered to provide accommodation for up to 20 people who require nursing or personal care. The home is located in a quiet area of Pudsey and close to local amenities, shops and churches. The home is on two levels with lift access and has a garden area and car parking to the front of the building.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post. 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.

Medicines were not always stored safely as a new delivery of medicines was found in an accessible area of the home along with confidential information. Protocols for the use of ‘as and when’ required medicines needed more detail. Controlled drugs were managed appropriately.

Windows were not restricted as required by the Health and Safety Executive. The registered provider took appropriate action to remedy this following our inspection. Other maintenance and fire safety checks had been carried out.

Mental capacity assessments (MCA) had been completed, although these were not decision specific. Best interest’s decisions had not been completed appropriately as relevant individuals had not been consulted. We recommended the registered manager look at guidance on the appropriate use of best interest decisions. Applications for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards had been appropriately made to the local authority.

There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty. Staff received support through their induction, supervision and appraisal. Records showed staff were mostly up-to-date with their training needs. Recruitment was appropriately managed as relevant background checks had been carried out and professional checks were taking place. Risks to people had been appropriately managed.

People who lived at Radcliffe Gardens Nursing Home felt safe. Two safeguarding incidents had not been referred to the Care Quality Commission. We discussed this with the registered manager. Staff knew how to recognise and report abuse.

People received access to healthcare services when they needed this and health professional spoke very positively about this service. Special dietary requirements were well managed and people received enough to eat and drink.

Care plans were sufficient to meet people’s care needs. Some gaps around a risk assessment and guidance for staff to respond to challenging behaviour were discussed with the registered manager. People and relatives were involved in care planning.

People received care from a staff team who were very familiar with their preferences. People’s privacy and dignity was respected at all times. Staff spoke with people nicely and were kind and attentive when people needed assistance.

The registered provider had not identified the areas of concern we found during this inspection. A number of quality audits were carried out and the registered provider visited the service to carry out their own checks. Surveys and meetings gave people and relatives an opportunity to feedback about the quality of the service. People knew how to complain and when this happened responses were provided within identified timescales.

People, relatives and staff were complimentary about the registered manager who had a visible presence in the home and was approachable. The staff team worked well together.

We found a breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) regulations 2014. You can see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

We considered all the evidence we had gathered under the outcomes we inspected.

We used the information to answer the five key questions we always ask;

' Is the service safe?

' Is the service effective?

' Is the service caring?

' Is the service responsive?

' Is the service well led?

This is a summary of what we found. The summary describes what we observed, the records we looked at and what people who used the service and the staff told us.

Is the service Safe?

We did not look at regulations under this domain at this inspection.

Is the service Effective?

We did not look at regulations under this domain at this inspection.

Is the service Caring?

We found the care staff we spoke with demonstrated a good knowledge of people's needs and were able to explain how individuals preferred their care and support to be delivered.

We found the atmosphere within the home was warm and friendly and we saw staff approached individual people in a way which showed they knew the person well and knew how best to assist them. People who used the service seemed comfortable with the members of staff who were supporting them.

Is the service Responsive?

We did not look at regulations under this domain at this inspection.

Is the service Well led?

People told us they had confidence in the manager and they were approachable and listened to what they had to say. We saw the home held meetings for people who used the service to give them the opportunity to share their views and make suggestions for improvements to the service.

The staff we spoke with said they enjoyed working at the home. They said they worked well as a team and felt supported by the manager.

The provider had an effective system to regularly assess and monitor the quality of the service that people received. We looked at a selection of reports which showed the provider had assessed and monitored the quality of service provision.

We spoke with five people who used the service who were all happy to live in the home. One person told us 'It's like living in a happy family.' Another person told us 'It's very nice to live here.'

We found people experienced care, treatment and support that met their needs and protected their rights. Care planning documentation was kept up to date by staff and people were provided with individualised care and support.

We found the provider had a safeguarding vulnerable adults policy in place and staff were aware of the correct procedure to follow if abuse was suspected. A relative of a person who used the service told us 'I feel he is very safe here'.

We saw staff were supported to undertake a range of training which ensured they were suitably qualified to care for the needs of people who used the service.

We found the provider had suitable arrangements in place to record, investigate and monitor complaints received from people who used the service and their relatives.