Blair Park Residential Care Home

Updated 1 December 2022

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by two inspectors.

Service and service type

Blair Park Residential Care Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Blair Park Residential Care Home is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post. A new manager had been in post for about one month and had submitted an application to register. We are currently assessing this application.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with two people who used the service and one visiting relative about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with seven members of staff including the manager, deputy manager, activities coordinator, senior care workers and care workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at three 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.

Updated 1 December 2022

About the service

Blair Park Residential care home is a large detached house in a quiet residential area. It provides care and support for up to 47 older people, most of who are living with dementia. At this inspection, there were 31 people living in the service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People told us, “They [staff] do everything you want them to do, so it’s not a problem. And they are very good giving choices.” And “Staff are very good, friendly and brilliant’”

People were protected from the risk of harm as robust safeguarding procedures were in place and staff had a good understanding of their responsibilities. Risks associated with people’s care and wellbeing were safely managed.

We found that staff were adhering to government guidance on Covid-19. We observed staff wearing masks correctly in the service.

Staff were recruited safely, and checks were completed. People were supported by staff with the relevant skills and experience, which enabled them to meet people’s needs. Staff also received appropriate training to enable them to carry out their roles safely. Staffing rotas showed, and we observed there were enough staff deployed to meet people's needs.

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.

Medicines were safely managed and administered. Staff received appropriate medicine administration training. Staff understood and demonstrated their responsibilities to raise concerns, to record safety incidents, concerns and near misses, and to report them internally and externally, where appropriate.

People and staff were encouraged to provide feedback about how the service could be improved. This was used to make changes and improvements that people wanted. The manager had good oversight of the service and the staffing team.

The manager and staff team learnt from incidents that had happened. Any incidents were discussed, and trends and pattern analysed to 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 10 July 2017).

Why we inspected

We received concerns in relation to management of the service and staffing. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only. For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

The overall rating for the service has remained Good based on the findings of this inspection.

We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern. Please see safe and well-led sections of this full report.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Blair Park Residential Care Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.