Archived: Essington Manor Care Home

Updated 30 June 2015

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 6 May 2015 and was unannounced.

The inspection team consisted of two inspectors and an expert by experience. The expert by experience had personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

We looked at the information we held about the service. This included notifications the home had sent us. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. The provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asked the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used this information to formulate our inspection plan.

We spoke with 15 people who used the service and six visitors. We did this to gain people’s views about the care. Some people who used the service were unable to speak with us, so we spent time in the lounge areas and observed the interactions between people.

We spoke with the registered manager, the quality assurance managers, one care support manager, four members of care staff, the activity coordinator, catering and domestic staff. This was to gain information on how the service was run and check that standards of care were being met.

We looked at five people’s care records to see if their records were accurate and up to date. We also looked at records relating to the management of the service. These included audits, health and safety checks, staff rotas, incident, accident and complaints records and minutes of meetings.

Updated 30 June 2015

This inspection took place on 6 May 2015 and was unannounced. At our previous inspection in July 2013 we did not have any concerns.

The service provided care and accommodation for up to 43 older people and consisted of two large detached houses on the same site. At the time of this inspection 39 people used the service.

The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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.

CQC is required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLs) and to report on what we find. The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards are for people who cannot make a decision about the way they are being treated or cared for and where other people are having to make this decision for them. The provider did not consistently follow the guidance of the MCA and ensure that people who required support to make decisions were supported and that decisions were made in people’s best interests.

People told us they felt safe, secure and comfortable. Staff were aware of their responsibility to protect people from harm or abuse. They told us they were confident that any concerns they reported would be acted upon.

Staff had a good knowledge of people’s individual care needs, risk assessments and care plans were completed to reduce the risk of harm to people.

Staffing levels were sufficient, people did not have to wait for help and support when it was needed. People’s medicines were managed safely; staff were knowledgeable and supported people with their medication as required.

People told us they enjoyed the food, had plenty to eat and drink and had lots of choice. Where people needed support with eating, staff provided the level of support that each individual person required.

People had access to a range of health care professionals and were supported to attend appointments when required.

People told us they were happy and felt well cared for by the staff and management. Interactions between staff and people were kind, caring and compassionate. People’s privacy and dignity were respected. All the visitors we spoke with told us they were made welcome by the staff in the home.

Leisure and recreational activities were provided in house and in the community, these were either on a one to one basis or in groups. People could choose whether they wished to participate or not and staff respected their choices.

People who used the service told us they felt well supported by the management and staff worked well as a team. The safety and quality of the home was regularly checked and improvements made when necessary.