19 December 2016
During a routine inspection
The provider of Plymouth House Nursing Home is registered to provide accommodation with personal and nursing care for up to 24 people. Care and support is provided to people with dementia, personal and nursing care needs. At the time of this inspection 23 people lived at the home.
There was a registered manager in post at the time of this inspection who was also one of the provider’s. 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.
People had no concerns about their safety. Risks to people’s safety had been identified and staff had training in how to recognised and report abuse.
Staff were recruited in a safe way and had relevant training and support to develop their skills in meeting people’s needs. People were cared for by staff who knew them well and responded to their needs. Staff were visible in communal areas where they supported people at times they needed assistance and similarly people received support when they remained in their own rooms. Staffing arrangements were reviewed regularly to ensure there were enough staff to meet people’s particular needs.
People had their medicines when they needed them and staff had been trained to manage medicines both safely and effectively. Staff used an electronic system to assist them in making sure medicines were administered at the right times and in the right doses to meet people’s health needs.
Staff told us their training was up to date. All staff felt they supported each other and worked well as a team in order to effectively and safely meet people’s needs. Staff were aware of people’s individual needs and how to respond to risks to their health, such as falling or developing sore skin. People had been assisted to eat and drink enough and they had been supported to receive all of the healthcare assistance they needed. People who lived at the home and their relatives were complimentary about the quality of the care staff provided.
Staff had ensured that people's rights were respected by helping them to make decisions for themselves. Where people lacked capacity to make informed decisions these were made by people who knew them well and had the authority to do this in people’s best interests. Staff practices ensured people received care and support in the least restrictive way to meet their needs. When people’s needs changed staff responded to these and sought the advice of health and social care professionals so people had the care and treatment they needed.
People who lived at the home and their relatives had built trusting relationships with staff who they had come to know well. Staff had a high degree of knowledge about people's individual choices and preferences. Staff recognised people's right to privacy, promoted their dignity and respected people’s confidential information.
People were happy with the access and availability to participate in thing they liked to do for fun and interest. People who lived at the home and their relatives were supported to provide their views about the support and care offered. The provider had responsive systems in place to monitor and review complaints to ensure improvements were made where necessary.
Staff understood their roles and responsibilities. The providers and management team showed they had an accountable and responsive approach and were motivated to continue to make on-going improvements to ensure people received a good quality service at all times.