• Care Home
  • Care home

Didsbury Court

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

17-19 Park Road, Torquay, Devon, TQ1 4QR (01803) 329735

Provided and run by:
Ark Care Homes Limited

Important: The provider of this service changed. See old profile

Latest inspection summary

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Background to this inspection

Updated 24 May 2023

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

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 was carried out by 1 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

Didsbury Court is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under 1 contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Didsbury Court is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post. However, the manager had submitted their application to register with the commission.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. 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 with 8 people who used the service and 1 relative about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with the manager, deputy manager, 5 care staff and the cook. We also met with the area manager and the nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

We observed interactions between people living at the service and staff members throughout the inspection. We reviewed a range of records. This included 4 people's care records and multiple medicines records. Various records relating to the management of the service, including quality audits were looked at.

Overall inspection

Good

Updated 24 May 2023

About the service

Didsbury Court is a residential care home providing personal care to up to 20 people. The service provides support to older people. At the time of our inspection there were 15 people using the service.

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

People told us they felt safe living at the service. Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse and knew where to report them if they had concerns.

People were protected from being cared for by unsuitable staff because pre-employment checks had been carried out. However, some checks of staffs’ employment history had not been completed fully. We made a recommendation to the provider about this.

Risks to people's health and safety were identified and guidance was in place to ensure people were protected from avoidable harm. Environmental risks were managed well in order to keep people safe. People were protected from the risk of infection and the service was clean and free from odour.

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.

Medicines were stored, managed, and administered safely and records regarding people's medicines were completed effectively. People received their medicines when they needed them and as prescribed.

People, relatives and staff were positive about the management of the service and the changes being made.

Systems and processes were in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service. People and relatives were asked for their views and feedback regarding people's care and support.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good. (Published 21 September 2017)

Why we inspected

The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about the management of risks in relation to skincare, nutrition and hydration and the staff culture at the service. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern. Please see the safe and well led sections of this report.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Didsbury Court on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Recommendations

We made a recommendation in relation to safe recruitment processes.

Follow up

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