Elmswood Park

Updated 13 August 2022

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection team consisted of one inspector and an Expert-by-Experience. An Expert-by-Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is rented and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service.

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

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

Notice of inspection

This inspection was announced. We gave the provider 24 hours’ notice because people were often out, and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us. Inspection activity started on 22 July 2022 and ended on 26 July 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We reviewed statutory notifications submitted by the provider. Statutory notifications contain information providers are required to send to us about significant events that take place within services. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke three care workers and the registered manager while we were on site. Prior to our site visit we spoke with seven people and two relatives. We reviewed a range of records including three people’s care records, medicines administration records and arrangements for three people and other records relating to the management of the service.

After the inspection

We continued to speak with the registered manager and sought clarification about the evidence gathered.

Updated 13 August 2022

About the service

Elmswood Park provides personal care and support to people living in self-contained flats located in a single building. This is known as extra care housing and is operated by an independent housing provider which is Mosscare St Vincents Housing.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of this inspection there were 21 people being provided with personal care and support by the service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People were safe at the service. However, we received mixed feedback from people about whether staff arrived on time. The provider monitored care visits to reduce the risk of people experiencing late or missed care visits, but further improvements were needed. Recruitment procedures had been followed to ensure new staff were suitable.

Risks to people were managed. The provider had appropriate infection control measures in place and medicines were managed safely.

Risk assessments and care plans had been recently reviewed and were up to date. Staff knew the people they were supporting well and had read the care plans. However, we found some care plans needed to be more personalised. We have made a recommendation about the person-centred care planning.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. However, further work was required to ensure timely mental capacity assessments were undertaken for specific decisions.

The provider's governance systems and processes used to assess, monitor, and mitigate risks and to develop and make improvements were not fully effective or robust.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 13 November 2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection of a new service.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.