Apex Prime Care - Newman Court

Updated 20 May 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.

Inspection team

The inspection was completed by an inspector and an Expert 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

This service provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is bought or rented and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection to ensure people we needed to speak with would be available.

Inspection activity started on 8 April 2022 and ended on 14 April 2022. We visited the location’s office on 8 April 2022.

What we did before the inspection

The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed information we had received about the service since registration. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

At the site visit we spoke with the registered manager, two senior care staff and a visiting health care professional. We observed staff supporting people in communal areas and reviewed a range of records. These included three people's care and medication records, staff supervision records and audits of the service.

After the inspection

We spoke with nine people and six relatives about their experience of the care provided. We also spoke with the regional manager, six care staff and received feedback on the service from a healthcare professional.

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies, procedures and training data were reviewed.

Updated 20 May 2022

About the service

Apex Prime Care - Newman Court provides domiciliary care and support to people living in this 'extra care' housing project. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation, in a shared site or building. At Apex Prime Care -Newman Court the accommodation consists of individual flats in a purpose built complex, which are either rented or purchased with shared equity. The service provides support to older and younger adults who may be living with a physical disability, sensory impairment, dementia or mental health diagnosis. The service was supporting 33 people at the time of the inspection.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

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

Overall people and their relatives were happy with the care provided. Their feedback included, “I’m very satisfied. I get everything I need” and “I would definitely recommend it.” However, some feedback indicated there had been times when some staff had not been found to always have supported people respectfully and compassionately and on occasions some people reported they experienced their care as ‘rushed’.

Staff understood people's preferences. People were supported to express their views and to be involved in decisions. Staff ensured people’s privacy and dignity were upheld. They supported people to retain their independence.

Processes were in place to protect people from the risk of abuse. Potential risks to people had been assessed and managed. People received their medicines safely from competent staff. There were sufficient staff employed with the required skills to provide the amount of care commissioned for people. Infection control measures were in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff reported any safety concerns and action was taken following incidents to reduce the risk of repetition for people.

People’s needs were assessed with them and the delivery of their care reflected current legislation and guidance. Staff had the required knowledge and skills to provide people’s care. Staff worked both within and across organisations to ensure people’s health needs were met and they received effective care.

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.

People received personalised care which was planned around their needs. Staff supported people to be involved in a range of activities. Staff were able to support people to be cared for at home at the end of their life as per their wishes.

People reported the service was well-led. People overall and staff felt confident in raising any issues and most reported they felt heard. The registered manager understood their role and responsibilities. The provider had taken relevant actions following a complaint which was received recently. Processes were in place to monitor and evaluate the quality of the service provided. Staff worked across agencies, to ensure people received joined up care.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 18 March 2021 and this is the first inspection.

The last rating for the service under the previous provider was good, published on 25 July 2018.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection.

Follow up

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