11 and 16 February 2015
During a routine inspection
This inspection took place on 11 and 16 February 2015 and was unannounced. This meant the staff and provider did not know we would be visiting.
The home provides care and accommodation for up to 92 older people. On the day of our inspection there were 88 people using the service. The home has four separate units over three floors.
The home had 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 was last inspected by CQC on 2 and 3 April 2014 and was not compliant. This was because the environment had not been fully adapted to meet the needs of people with dementia.
During this inspection, we found the environment had been fully adapted to meet the needs of people with dementia.
There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty in order to meet the needs of people using the service. The provider had an effective recruitment and selection procedure in place and carried out relevant checks when they employed staff.
We saw evidence that thorough investigations had been carried out in response to safeguarding incidents or allegations.
We saw a copy of the provider’s complaints policy and procedure and found that complaints had been fully investigated.
We saw comprehensive medication audits were carried out regularly by the provider.
Training records were 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.
We saw staff supporting people in the dining rooms at lunch time and choices of food and drinks were being offered. People told us the food was always good with a wide selection of choices available at every meal.
All of the care records we looked at contained care plan agreement forms, which had been signed by the person who used the service or a family member.
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, were complimentary about the standard of care. They told us, “This is a wonderful place; all the staff are caring it gives me peace of mind knowing that my mother is so well cared for.” A resident said, “I chose to come here, it was the only place I considered and have no regrets.”
We saw staff supporting and helping to maintain people’s independence. We saw staff treated people with dignity and respect and people were encouraged to remain as independent as possible.
We saw that the home had a full programme of activities in place for people who used the service.
On both days of our inspection, we saw people were actively involved in a range of activities.
All the care records we looked at showed people’s needs were assessed before they moved into the home and we saw care plans were written in a person centred way that always involved people or their representatives.
We saw the provider worked in partnership with other health and social care professionals.
The provider had a quality assurance system in place and gathered information about the quality of their service from a variety of sources.