Archived: Country Home Care

The inspection took place on 02 and 03 September 2015 and was unannounced. Country Home Care is a small care home located in Plaxtol near Tonbridge providing accommodation and personal care for up to five people with learning disabilities.

The home is a semi-detached property set out over three floors, with bedrooms on the ground and first floors. At the time of our inspection there were five people living at the home. Some people were living with mobility difficulties and most people had communication needs. The home was also the permanent residence of the providers, one of which was the 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. We found one breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of this report.

People were given their medicines correctly however we found that people’s medicines were not stored and disposed of safely in accordance with best practice guidance and not all staff had received up to date training to ensure safe administration and handling of medicines.

Staff were confident and knowledgeable in how to protect people from abuse and harm. They were aware of the procedures to follow and were clear about their responsibilities.

Risk assessment were person centred and gave staff clear concise guidance regarding people’s individual needs. They included both measures to reduce identified risks and guidance for staff to follow to ensure people were protected from harm. Accidents and incidents were recorded and monitored and action was taken to reduce the risks of recurrence.

Staffing levels were based on people’s support needs and we saw that there was sufficient staffing to meet people’s needs. Records showed that recruitment procedures were followed to ensure staff were suitable to work with people.

Staff knew people well and provided effective support that was based on detailed guidelines written in people’s individual care plans. Staff received guidance, support and training according to people’s needs.

We observed that staff sought people’s consent before providing care and support. However where people could not give their consent, the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were not consistently met. We have made a recommendation about this.

People were supported to eat a balanced diet that met their needs and preferences. Staff were knowledgeable about people’s dietary requirements.

People received care and support that promoted their health and wellbeing. People received medical assistance from healthcare professionals including, opticians, chiropodists and their GP.

People were treated with kindness and compassion and the culture of care was person centred. Relationships between people and staff were strong and people were respected and treated with dignity. People were encouraged to be involved and staff knew and acknowledged people’s strengths.

People’s care was based on their preferences, and likes and dislikes. People led active lives and were supported to undertake a range of activities. People’s care plans were reviewed regularly and updated when their needs changed to ensure they received the support they required.

Staff and relatives told us how much they admired and valued the leadership and vision provided by the registered manager. Staff felt supported and able to contribute ideas. Quality assurance systems were in place, however we found that not all systems were robust enough to effectively monitor maintenance and safety. We have made a recommendation about this.