Background to this inspection
Updated
21 July 2020
The inspection
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
This inspection was carried out by two inspectors, an assistant inspector and two Experts by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.
Service and service type
Atkinson Court is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
The service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission at the time of the inspection, however the service did have a manager who was in the process of registering with the Commission. Since the inspection a new manager has been appointed and registered with the Commission.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced.
What we did before inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with nine people who used the service and ten relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with eleven members of staff including the manager, assistant manager, nurses, senior care workers and care workers. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.
We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records.
Updated
21 July 2020
About the service
Atkinson Court is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to 26 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 75 older people.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
There was no activities lead at the service, and staff had not been trained in providing activities. Planned activities were not carried out, and staff said they were unable to ensure people received enough stimulation and entertainment on a day to day basis. However, the provider was in the process of recruiting an activities lead at the time of the inspection who was expected to plan and provide activities.
Although we found the service was generally clean, there were some areas which were not always well presented.
We have made a recommendation around cleanliness and the environment.
Staff received training to ensure they were competent to meet people’s needs, but staff did not always receive regular supervisions and one to one support.
We have made a recommendation about staff support.
People received their medicines safely and as prescribed. Systems and processes around medicines management were safe.
Safeguarding systems and processes ensured concerns were raised and investigated appropriately.
Care plans contained good person-centred detail and were regularly reviewed.
People said staff were kind and caring, and their privacy, dignity and independence was protected.
Risks to people were assessed appropriately, and regular environmental checks were carried out. People said they felt safe, and safeguarding issues were reported appropriately.
People had good access to health and social care professionals and actions from these visits were clearly recorded.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
There were adequate quality systems and processes in place to identify improvements. Although we found recording issues, actions were being taken in response to concerns identified.
There were regular staff meetings and meetings with people and their relatives. The provider did not use surveys and questionnaires to gather feedback and improve the service.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published 2 July 2019).
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns we received regarding staffing levels, governance and medicines management. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our reinspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.