27 March 2017
During a routine inspection
At our last inspection on 27 August 2015 the service was found to be fully compliant and was rated good in all areas and good overall.
A registered manager was in post and present on the day of the inspection. 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.
Levels of cleanliness were inconsistent and risks to people's health and welfare were not always effectively managed. People’s involvement in their individual care planning was not routinely recorded. Care plans, including risk assessments, were not always reviewed or updated to reflect people’s changing needs. Inconsistent quality monitoring systems meant such shortfalls were not always identified and addressed.
We have made a recommendation regarding the involvement of people in decisions about their individual care and support, including the appropriate recording of any such consultation.
Staff had completed training in safe working practices. We saw people were supported with patience, consideration and kindness and their privacy and dignity was respected.
People received care and support from staff who were appropriately trained and confident to meet their individual needs and they were able to access health, social and medical care, as required. There were opportunities for additional training specific to the needs of the service, such as diabetes management and the care of people with dementia. Staff received one-to-one supervision meetings with their line manager. Formal personal development plans, such as annual appraisals, were in place.
Thorough recruitment procedures were followed and appropriate pre-employment checks had been made including evidence of identity and satisfactory written references. Appropriate checks were also undertaken to ensure new staff were safe to work within the care sector.
Medicines were managed safely in accordance with current regulations and guidance by staff who had received appropriate training to help ensure safe practice. There were systems in place to ensure that medicines had been stored, administered, audited and reviewed appropriately.
People were being supported to make decisions in their best interests. The registered manager and staff had received training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).
People were provided with appropriate food and drink to meet their health needs and were happy with the food they received. People’s nutritional needs were assessed and records were accurately maintained to ensure people were protected from risks associated with eating and drinking. Where risks to people had been identified, these had been appropriately monitored and referrals made to relevant professionals, where necessary.
A formal complaints procedure was in place. People were encouraged and supported to express their views about their care and staff were responsive to their comments. Satisfaction questionnaires were used to obtain the views of people who lived in the home, their relatives and other stakeholders.