Archived: Camden Care Home

This inspection was unannounced and took place on 4 September 2017. The service was registered to provide accommodation for up to 18 people. People who used the service had physical health needs and/or were living with dementia, at the time of our inspection, 18 people were using the service. Our last inspection visit took place on 6 November 2015, and the service was rated as ‘Good.’ At this inspection visit, the service remained ‘Good.’

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 were supported to make choices, and when required assessments and best interest decisions had been completed. There were sufficient staff to support people’s needs and staff had undergone a range of checks to ensure they were suitable to work in the home. The manager and provider completed a range of audits to support the improvements within the home. We saw feedback was sought from people and any areas raised had been considered and responded to.

People told us and we saw they had established positive relationships with people. Staff respected people’s choices and offered a range of choices the person was able to manage. Staff maintained people’s privacy and dignity at all times. There was a positive meal experience where people were able to choose the meals they wished to eat and alternatives were provided.

We saw that medicines were managed safely and administered in line with people’s prescriptions. Referrals had been made to health care professionals and people had access to a range of health care professionals to maintain their health needs.

The care plans covered all aspects of people’s care and their preferences. There was a clear process in place to cascade information about the service and the needs of people. People were able to choose how they spent their time and were encouraged to join activities. People felt able to raise any concerns if needed.

Staff felt supported by the manager and they were provided with suitable training for their role. We saw that the previous rating was conspicuously displayed in the reception of the home as required. The manager understood their responsibility of registration with us and notified us of important events that occurred at the service; this meant we could check appropriate action had been taken.

Although some people were not able to give us their views of the service due to their level of dementia, they appeared comfortable and had a good rapport with the staff team.

Our observations throughout the day demonstrated that staff engaged in a positive way with people.

People's care records were clear, detailed and reviewed regularly. This meant that staff supported people effectively.

People were supported to take their medication as prescribed and records demonstrated that people had access to health care professionals when needed.

The recruitment records held demonstrated that robust recruitment practices were in place. This ensured that staff employed were suitable to work with people using the service.

The systems in place ensured that the service was monitored effectively

At our last visit information about people's capacity was not in place to ensure their safety when they were unable to make an informed decision for themselves, about an aspect of their life. At this visit we saw this information was recorded. This demonstrated that people's level of understanding in making day to day decisions and the support they needed to make those decisions was recorded.

At our last visit the staffing levels in place did not demonstrate that regular activities were provided to people or that staff had sufficient time, to ensure care records were maintained to an acceptable standard. At this visit we saw written evidence that demonstrated that people were provided with activities on a regular ongoing basis. A new manager had been appointed and was transferring care records onto a new system. The records seen showed that people's support information was clearly recorded, including their social and therapeutic support needs.

At our last visit the provider did not have an effective system in place that showed that the quality of the service provided was regularly monitored and assessed.