Archived: Hope Residential Care

Updated 2 March 2016

We undertook an unannounced focussed inspection of Hope Residential Care on 08 and 11 December 2015. The inspection was done to check that improvements to meet legal requirements planned by the provider after our 16 and 21 July 2015 comprehensive inspection had been made. We also looked at concerns that had been shared with the Commission since that inspection about management on call arrangements, staffing levels and the financial viability of the service. The team inspected the service against two of the five questions we ask about services: is the service safe and well led. This was because the service was not meeting some legal requirements.

The inspection was undertaken by an Adult Social Care Inspection Manager and two Adult Social Care Inspectors. During our inspection we spoke with five staff members, looked at staffing and on call management arrangements, looked at food and nutrition arrangements and looked at the care records of two people. We also undertook a tour of the environment and looked at the financial viability of the service. We asked to view records in relation to the management of the regulated activity.

Updated 2 March 2016

We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection of this service on 16 and 21 July 2015. Breaches of legal requirements were found. After the comprehensive inspection, the provider wrote to us to say what they would do to meet legal requirements in relation to the breaches.

We undertook this focussed inspection on 08 and 11 December 2015 to check that the provider had followed their plan and to confirm that they now met legal requirements. We also looked at concerns we received prior to the focussed inspection about on call management arrangements to support staff members working alone, staffing levels and the financial viability of the service. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and the concerns brought to our attention. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Hope Residential Care on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Hope Residential Care Home is situated on Waterloo Road in the residential area of south shore Blackpool. Off street parking is available for visitors. The home is registered to provide accommodation for a maximum of twelve people. At the time of our inspection visit there were six people who lived there. Bedrooms were located on the ground and first floor. Communal space comprised of a lounge and a dining room on the ground floor.

The registered provider was an individual who also managed the home on a day to day basis. Registered providers 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 provider was not present during our inspection.

During the comprehensive inspection of this service on 16 and 21 July 2015 we found recruitment procedures were unsafe. This was because the registered provider had employed people before appropriate checks had been completed. These checks were required to ensure staff working at the home were safe to work with vulnerable people. This was a breach of Regulation 19 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) 2014.

During this inspection the recruitment records of one person employed since our inspection on 16 and 21 July 2015 were not available. This meant we were unable to identify appropriate checks had been made to ensure the person was safe to work with vulnerable people.

We also found whilst reviewing a selection of employment records that one member of staff had been employed since 2013 without a Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS).

This was a continued breach of Regulation 19 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) 2014.

During the comprehensive inspection of this service on 16 and 21 July 2015 we found the registered provider had not notified the Care Quality Commission (CQC) without delay of the death of a person who lived at the home, allegation of abuse and an application to deprive a person who lived at the home of their liberty. This was a breach of Regulations 16 and 18 of the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009.

During this inspection we found the registered provider had not fulfilled their regulatory responsibilities. This was because they had not submitted a notification to CQC about an injury suffered by a person who lived at the home. The injury had been sustained since our last inspection.

We also found the registered provider had not submitted a notification to CQC about the financial viability of the service and staffing situation which was likely to threaten to prevent, the service provider’s ability to continue to carry on the service safely.

This was a continued breach of Regulation18 of the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009.

Through our observation and discussions with people who lived at the home and staff we noted that a number of systems to keep people safe had failed. There were numerous breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 which meant the service was not safe or well-led. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.

We found suitable on call management arrangements were not in place to support staff working alone in the home. We were told by staff members about occasions when they had been unable to contact the registered provider when they required assistance to support people in their care. This meant people did not always receive the care and support they required when they needed it.

We found the induction training for new staff wasn’t structured and organised. One staff member told us they had not received any induction training and had been left to work on their own for periods of time during their first few weeks of employment. This meant people who lived at the home had been supported by a person who wasn’t suitably trained and experienced to support them.

We found one staff member responsible for the administration of medicines had received no medication training or been assessed to ensure they were competent to support people with their medicines prior to being left alone to administer medicines. This meant people who lived at the home had been potentially placed at risk from unsafe management of their medicines.

We found the environment had not been well maintained and lacked investment. We saw carpets which were frayed and a potential tripping hazard to people who lived at the home.

We found furnishings in some rooms were in a poor state of repair. The cupboard door to a vanity unit in one room was broken and hanging off its hinges.

Maintenance records including gas, fire and electrical installation certificates were not available for inspection. This meant records were not available for the regulated activity and we were unable to confirm these facilities had been serviced and were safe for use.

We found the home did not have a working tumble dryer and people’s wet clothing was dried on radiators around the home. This created an unpleasant smell of dampness and was undignified for people who lived at the home.

Two staff members told us they had been instructed by the registered provider to leave the heating turned off until 4pm. We were told people were provided with additional clothing and blankets to keep them warm when the heating was turned off.

We found arrangements for meal provision were poor. Staff told us about occasions when they had purchased bread and milk with their own money because of the lack of funds available to them from the registered provider. This was as recent as the week before the inspection.

We found the falls risk assessment for one person identified as being at risk of falling had not been recently reviewed. There was no information recorded to identify how staff lone working would manage the person in the event of them falling.

We found appropriate procedures had not been followed to record safeguarding concerns, accidents and incidents and take necessary action as required. This meant people were not always safe.

We identified during the inspection the registered provider had not taken all reasonable steps to ensure the financial viability of the service. This was evident in the lack of investment in the environment and funds not being available for food provisions.

After the inspection took place the registered provider made the decision to close the service.