Archived: Abbeyfield Bognor Regis Society Limited

Updated 24 May 2016

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 26 April 2016. The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and any improvements they plan to make. We also looked at statutory notifications sent to us by the registered manager about incidents and events that had occurred at the service. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send to us by law. We used all this information together with other information we held about the service and the service provider to decide which areas to focus on during our inspection.

During our inspection we observed how staff interacted with people and how people were supported in the communal areas of the home. We observed care and spoke with people, their relatives and staff. We looked at plans of care, risk assessments, incident records and medicines records for three people. We looked at training and recruitment records for three members of staff. We also looked at staffing rotas, staff handover records, minutes of meetings with people and staff, records of activities undertaken, menus, staff training and recruitment records, and records relating to the management of the service such as audits and policies.

During our inspection, we met with the eight people who used the service and four relatives. We also spoke with the registered manager, the admin assistant, the cook, one domestic staff member and four care staff.

The service was last inspected in April 2014 and no concerns were identified.

Updated 24 May 2016

Abbeyfield Bognor Regis Society Limited is registered to provide support and accommodation for up to 18 people. It also provides respite care. On the day of our visit there were 16 people who used the service.

There was a registered manager in post. 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 told us they felt safe with staff. Relatives had no concerns about the safety of people. There were policies and procedures regarding the safeguarding of adults and staff knew what action to take if they thought anyone was at risk of potential harm.

Thorough recruitment processes were in place for newly appointed staff to check they were suitable to work with people. Staffing numbers were maintained at a level to meet people’s needs safely. Medicines were managed safely.

Staff received regular training and there were opportunities for them to study for additional qualifications. All staff training was up-to-date. Team meetings were held and staff had regular communication with each other at handover meetings which took place between each shift.

The CQC monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which applies to care homes. We found the registered manager understood when an application should be made and how to submit one. We found the provider to be meeting the requirements of DoLS. The registered manager and staff were guided by the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) regarding best interests decisions should anyone be deemed to lack capacity.

People were supported to have sufficient to eat and drink and to maintain a healthy diet. They had access to healthcare professionals. People’s rooms were decorated in line with their personal preferences.

Staff knew people well and positive, caring relationships had been developed. People were encouraged to express their views and were involved in decisions about their care as much as they were able. The decisions made by people were respected by staff. People’s privacy and dignity were respected and promoted. Staff understood how to care for people in a sensitive way.

Care plans provided information about people in a person-centred way. People’s preferences and likes and dislikes were documented so that staff knew how people wished to be supported. There were a variety of activities and outings on offer which people could choose to do. Complaints were dealt with in line with the provider’s policy.

The registered manager operated an open door policy and welcomed feedback on any aspect of the service. There was a stable staff team who said that communication in the home was good and they always felt able to make suggestions. They confirmed management were open and approachable.

There was a clear complaints policy and people knew how to make a complaint if necessary.

The provider had a policy and procedure for quality assurance. The registered manager worked alongside staff and this enabled her to monitor staff performance. The Nominated Individual for the provider visited the home regularly to carry out quality audits.

Weekly and monthly checks were carried out to monitor the quality of the service provided. There were regular meetings with people, relatives and staff enabling feedback to be sought on the quality of the service provided. People and staff were able to influence the running of the service and make comments and suggestions about any changes. These meetings enabled the registered manager and provider to monitor if people’s needs were being met.