10 August 2017
During a routine inspection
The provider wrote to us with actions they had taken to improve the service. The service was previously rated inadequate overall and placed in special measures. Although improvements had been made since our last inspection, at this inspection the service has been rated as requires improvement, as the provider will need to show they can sustain the improvements and continue to provide good care for the rating to be changed.
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.
Although the service had a number of quality monitoring processes in place to ensure the service maintained its standards, these were new systems and not completely embedded in the service.
The service had made improvements to ensure staff delivered support that was effective and caring and this was in a way which promoted people's independence and wellbeing, whilst people's safety was ensured.
Staff were recruited and employed upon completion of appropriate checks as part of a robust recruitment process. Sufficient numbers of staff enabled people's individual needs to be met adequately. Trained staff dispensed medications and monitored people's health satisfactorily.
Staff understood their responsibilities and how to keep people safe. People's rights were also protected because management and staff understood the legal framework of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).
The registered manager and staff ensured access to healthcare services were readily available to people and worked with a range of health professionals, such as social workers, community mental health nurses and GPs to implement care and support plans.
Staff were respectful and compassionate towards people ensuring privacy and dignity was valued. People were supported in a person centred way by staff who understood their roles in relation to encouraging independence whilst mitigating potential risks.
Systems were in place to make sure that people's views were gathered. These included regular meetings, direct interactions with people and questionnaires being distributed to people, relatives and healthcare professionals.
A complaints procedure was in place and had been implemented appropriately by the registered manager.