Archived: 73 High Road

Updated 9 November 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This announced inspection took place on 21 September 2016 and was undertaken by one inspector. We gave the provider 24 hours’ notice as some people had anxieties which could be triggered by visitors they were not aware of.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We looked at this and information we hold about the service. Before the inspection we looked at the number and type of notifications submitted to the Care Quality Commission. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law.

During the inspection we spoke with two relatives by telephone, the registered manager, one senior and three care staff, and a visiting maintenance person from the provider.

We observed people’s care to assist us in understanding the quality of care people received. This was because people did not communicate with us in a verbal way.

We looked at three people’s care records, the minutes of managers' and staff meetings. We also looked at medicine administration and management records. This was as well as records in relation to the management of the service such as records of equipment that had been regularly serviced. We also looked at staff recruitment, supervision and appraisal process records, training records, complaints and quality assurance records.

Updated 9 November 2016

73 High Road is registered to provide accommodation for persons who require nursing or personal care for up to six people. At the time of our inspection there were five people using the service. The service is located in the village of Gorefield near Wisbech town.

In addition the service also provides care to people who are accommodated in their own home. At the time of this inspection a service was being provided to three people.

This announced inspection took place on 21 September 2016.

The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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.

Staff, as a result of training and support they had received, possessed a good practical knowledge of recognising the signs of, and protecting people from harm.

Risk assessments had been completed, were detailed and recorded how each person's risk were managed as safely as practicable. This was planned to help staff manage any potential risks such as those for people who could exhibit behaviours which could challenge others.

A sufficient number of skilled, safely recruited and competent staff were in post.

Staff had been trained and deemed competent in the safe administration of people's medicines. Medicines were safely administered. Staff administered people’s medicines safely including medicines prescribed to be given ‘when required’. However, the recording of people's medicines was not accurate. This meant that there was a risk that the management of medicines was not as safe as it should have been.

Staff were provided with training deemed mandatory by the provider as well as subject specific training according to people’s needs. An effective induction, supervision and mentoring process was in place to support staff in a positive way.

Systems were in place to support people in the event of an emergency such as the need to evacuate the premises.

The CQC is required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and to report on what we find. The service’s manager, team leaders and care staff were knowledgeable about if and when a decision needed to be made that were in people’s best interests.

People were supported by, and they had to access to, those health care professionals and services that they required. People were encouraged and supported to have a healthy balanced diet and adequate hydration according to their needs.

People experienced care that was dignified and compassionate. Staff put people’s needs first and foremost. Advocacy arrangements were used to support those people who had need of this support.

People were involved as much as practicable in developing and reviewing their care plans. Information contained in each person’s care plan was detailed and up to date. Staff respected people’s preferences and individual circumstances. People were supported with various opportunities to be as independent as practicable with a wide range of hobbies and interests.

People, their relatives and staff had access to a complaints process which was provided in an accessible format. People and staff were encouraged to provide their views on the quality of the service and the care that it provided.

People were provided with various opportunities to contribute to the running of the service. This included various meetings for people, staff and management. Audits that were undertaken were effective in driving improvements.

The registered manager had fostered and supported an open and honest staff team culture. Lessons were identified and learned from any accidents and incidents and these had been used as opportunities in making changes to the benefit of people. People could and did access the local community at every available opportunity.