This unannounced inspection took place on 11 January 2016. The service provides support for up to 60 older people who require support with their personal care. At the time of our inspection there were 51 people living at the home.
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 felt safe living in the home and most people were able to receive support when they needed it however improvements were required to ensure consistent staffing levels were in place and people received good quality care in a timely manner at all times.
The staff team worked well together but evidence showed that there were concerns about the approachability and accessibility of the management team which also impacted on staff morale. People were supported by staff that had been suitably recruited and adequate checks were made before staff started work. The ethos and values of the home put people at the forefront of the service, and people were given a choice in every aspect of their care.
Staff understood the need to protect people from harm and abuse and knew what action they should take if they had any concerns. Care records contained individual risk assessments to protect people from identified risks and help keep them safe. They provided information to staff about action to be taken to minimise any risks whilst allowing people to be as independent as possible.
Accidents and incidents were recorded and reviewed and further action was taken to prevent similar incidents reoccurring. People were supported to take their medicines as prescribed and suitable arrangements were in place to dispose of any excess or unused medication.
Staff received suitable training to meet people’s needs and this was monitored by the management team to ensure people’s training needs were regularly updated. Staff were provided with formal supervision on a monthly basis and received support on a day to day basis from their peers.
People were actively involved in decision about their care and support needs. There were formal systems in place to assess people’s capacity for decision making under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and appropriate documentation was in place to record the process staff had followed.
People’s healthcare needs were regularly reviewed and action taken when concerns had been identified. People were supported to maintain a balanced diet and eat well, and had their nutritional needs met with freshly prepared meals.
Staff treated people with care and compassion and people told us that the staff were very good to them. People were consistently asked for their opinion and feedback whilst they were receiving care from staff to ensure people were comfortable and happy with the care they received.
Staff responded promptly when people became distressed and offered comfort appropriate to each individual. People’s dignity and right to privacy was protected by staff and visitors and relatives were made to feel welcome at the home.
People’s care and support needs were assessed before people came to live at Sandalwood Court to ensure the service could meet their needs. The assessment and care planning process also considered people’s life history which provided staff with the opportunity to have meaningful conversations with people.
People’s care plans were reviewed and updated by staff as people’s needs changed. People were able to choose to participate in a variety of activities that they enjoyed, and there were opportunities for people to provide their views on the running of the service. Formal complaints were investigated and resolved in a timely manner.
The service encouraged people and their relatives to complete quarterly questionnaires and action was taken to resolve negative comments. Quality assurance systems were in place which reviewed many aspects of the service that people received and the registered managed had developed relationships within the community and healthcare sector to share and promote best practice for people requiring care and support.