This unannounced inspection of Connell Court care home took place on 4 March 2015.
Situated within walking distance of Birkdale Village and close to public transport links, Connell Court provides accommodation and personal care for up to 37 people. It is a three storey purpose built property which is fitted with a passenger lift providing access to all floors. All the bedrooms are for single occupancy and have en-suite facilities. There is a lounge, dining room and conservatory on the ground floor.
A registered manager was 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 said they felt safe living at the home and were supported in a safe way by staff. Visitors we spoke with also told us they thought Connell Court was a safe place to live.
The staff we spoke with could clearly describe how they would recognise abuse and the action they would take to ensure actual or potential abuse was reported. Staff confirmed they had received adult safeguarding training.
Staff had been appropriately recruited to ensure they were suitable to work with vulnerable adults. People living at the home and staff told us there was sufficient numbers of staff on duty at all times.
Staff told us they were well supported through the induction process, regular supervision and appraisal. They said they were up-to-date with the training they were required by the organisation to undertake for the job.
A range of risk assessments had been completed depending on people’s individual needs. Care plans were well completed and they reflected people’s current needs. Risk assessments and care plans were reviewed on a monthly basis.
People told us they received their medication at a time when they needed it. Safeguards were in place to ensure medicines were managed in a safe way.
The building was clean, well-lit and clutter free. Measures were in place to monitor the safety of the environment and equipment.
People said their individual needs and preferences were respected by staff. They were supported to maintain optimum health and could access a range of external health care professionals when they needed to.
People living at the home expressed mixed views about the meals but the majority of people were satisfied with the meals. We could see that the home had processes in place to seek feedback on the food. Changes to the menu were made based on feedback from people.
People and families described management and staff as caring, respectful and approachable. Staff had a good understanding of people’s needs and their preferred routines. We observed positive and warm engagement between people living at the home and staff throughout the inspection. A full and varied programme of recreational activities was available for people to participate in.
Staff sought people’s consent before providing support or care. The home adhered to the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (2005). Nobody living at the home was subject to a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguard (DoLS) plan.
The culture within the service was and open and transparent. Staff and people living there said the registered manager was approachable. They said they felt listened to and involved in the running of the home. People we spoke with told us the registered manager and staff communicated well and kept them informed of any changes.
Staff were aware of the whistle blowing policy and said they would not hesitate to use it. Opportunities were in place to address lessons learnt from the outcome of incidents, complaints and other investigations.
A procedure was established for managing complaints and people living at the home and their families were aware of what to do should they have a concern or complaint. We found that complaints had been managed in accordance with the complaints procedure.
Audits or checks to monitor the quality of care provided were in place and these were used to identify developments for the service.