We carried out a review of the data available to us about Dovecote on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Dovecote, you can give feedback on this service.
Dovecote is a residential care home providing the regulated activity of personal care to up to 15 people. The service provides support to young adults with mental health conditions. At the time of our inspection there were 12 people using the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Risks were assessed, managed and monitored to keep people safe from harm. Medicines were managed safely. Systems and processes in place protected people from the risk of abuse and neglect. The provider ensured enough suitably trained staff were always deployed to safely meet people's needs. We were assured that the provider’s infection prevention and control policy was up to date. Lessons were learnt when things went wrong.
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.
The manager had effective oversight of the service and was praised by staff, people and health and social care professionals for the changes they had made at the service. Staff referred to health and social care professionals and implemented their advice into care plans in order to improve outcomes for people. The manager understood their responsibility to be open and honest with people and acted when things went wrong. People and staff were involved in shaping the service.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and update
The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 27 January 2020) and there were breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.
Why we inspected
We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions safe and well-led which contain those requirements.
We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home 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.
For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Dovecote on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.
We found the following examples of good practice.
The registered manager had implemented robust measures to protect people from the risk of infection. Systems were in place to ensure people remained safe in the event of an outbreak of COVID-19. Individual risk assessments for people were created and updated regularly to ensure risk reduction measures were in place.
Entry to the care home was strictly monitored in order to protect people from the risk of infection. This included providing proof of a negative lateral flow test and temperature monitoring. Vaccination status for visiting professionals was recorded and stored securely. Guidance and instructions regarding visiting was clearly displayed for all staff to follow in the absence of the management team.
The registered manager implemented and logged testing for COVID-19. This ensured that staff or people testing positive for COVID-19 could be easily identified. Immediate action was taken in the event of a positive result in order to protect everyone using the service and the wider community.
The registered manager and staff ensured that people living at Dovecote fully understood the ongoing pandemic. Daily meetings were held with people to discuss any concerns and fears they may have. People were involved in creating information signs for the home regarding COVID-19 in a variety of formats, this included pictorial and easy read. People were supported to make informed choices regarding testing for COVID-19 and receiving the vaccination. The registered manager supplied people with information to allow them to make an informed decision.
Dovecote is a residential care home providing personal care and support for 11 people with severe and enduring mental health illness, aged between 18 and 65 years old, at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 18 people.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were not always supported with their medicines in line with the provider's medicines policy. Records with regards to people’s medicines were not all up to date. Risks associated with people’s care and support had been identified and assessed but not always properly managed. There was a lack of monitoring systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service.
People felt safe living at Dovecote and felt safe with the staff team who supported them. A robust recruitment process was followed when new staff were employed, and staff had received the training they needed to enable them to meet people’s individual and diverse needs.
People’s needs had been assessed prior to them moving into the service and plans of care had been developed for staff to follow. People were supported with their nutritional needs and supported to eat and drink well. Staff made sure people were supported to access support from relevant healthcare professionals when they required it.
Staff were kind and caring and treated people with respect. People were involved in decisions about their care and their consent was always obtained.
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. People were supported to share any issues of concern, so these could be addressed.
The staff team felt supported by the registered manager and their thoughts on the service were sought. People, and their relatives, were asked for their opinion of the service through day to day conversations and meetings. The registered manager worked in partnership with others to provide people with the care and support they needed.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
This service was registered with us on 12/12/2018 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on our inspection programme.
Enforcement
We have identified breaches in relation to managing risk, medicine management and lack of systems for monitoring the quality of the service at this inspection.
Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.