Archived: Rockliffe Court - Hurworth

Updated 16 May 2018

.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 is 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 and was unannounced. This meant the registered manager and staff did not know we were coming.

Inspection activity started on 12 April 2018 and ended on 16 April 2018. It included speaking to people who used the service and their relatives. We visited the office location on 12 April to see the provider and to review care records and policies and procedures.

The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector.

Before the inspection we reviewed other information we held about the service and the provider. This included previous inspection reports and statutory notifications we had received from the provider. Notifications are changes, event or incidents the provider is legally obliged to send to CQC within required timescales.

We also contacted the local authority commissioners for the service, the local authority safeguarding team and the clinical commissioning group (CCG).

At the time of our inspection visit there were 13 people who used the service. The registered manager was not available at the time our visit. We were supported by the head of support services. During the inspection we spoke with the head of support services and four members of staff. We also spoke with four people who used the service and three relatives.

At the location’s office we viewed a range of records and how the service was managed. These included the care records of two people supported by the service, the recruitment records of two staff member, training records, and records in relation to the management of the service including a range of policies and procedures.

Updated 16 May 2018

We inspected Rockcliffe Court on 12 and 16 April 2018. This was an unannounced inspection. This meant the provider and staff did not know we were coming.

Rockliffe Court - Hurworth provides personal care to people living in their own accommodation. The accommodation is in one purpose built complex in Hurworth. On the day of our inspection there were 13 people using the service.

Not everyone using Rockcliffe Court receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’, help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

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.’

We inspected the service in May 2016 and rated the service as ‘Good’. At this inspection we found the service remained ‘Good’

People and relatives felt the service was safe. Staff were trained in safeguarding and understood the importance of acknowledging poor practice and reporting their concerns to the registered manager.

Staff supported people with their medicines in a safe manner. The provider had systems in place to record accidents, incidents and safeguarding concerns. Infection control procedures were followed. Staff had access to personal protective equipment. Contact numbers were available for staff in case of an emergency.

Staff were trained in a range of subjects to meet the needs of the service. Staff felt supported and received regular supervision. People were supported to access health care professionals where necessary.

Staff provided support and guidance with nutritional needs where necessary.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff gained consent before any intervention with the person.

People and relatives felt staff were caring. Staffing rotas were developed to ensure staff had time to meet the needs of people using the service.

Staff respected people’s privacy and dignity ensuring their independence was promoted.

Care plans were individualised and contained information on how to support the person in a person centred way. The provider used a variety of methods to gain information when developing care plans. For example, information from family members and health and social care professionals. People were involved in how they preferred their support to be delivered.

The provider had a system and process in place to manage complaints. No complaints had been made to the service. End of life care was not relevant at the time of this inspection.

The provider had a quality assurance process in place to ensure the quality of the care provided was monitored. People and relatives views and opinions were sought and used in the monitoring of the service.

Staff felt the registered manager was open, approachable and supportive.