Meadowbank Residential Care Home

Updated 28 February 2018

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.

Our inspection took place on 18 January 2018 and was unannounced.

This was our first inspection since the provider of the service changed.

Our inspection was completed by two adult social care inspectors 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. Our expert-by-experience had knowledge of adults living in residential care settings.

We reviewed information we already held about the service. This included notifications we had received. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law. We also checked feedback we received from members of the public, local authorities and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). We checked records held by Companies House, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the local fire inspectorate.

We spoke with 10 people who used the service and three relatives who visited during our inspection.

We spoke with the nominated individual, the registered manager, the team leader, the chef, the cleaner and maintenance person and the visiting hairdresser. We also spoke with five care workers about people’s support and treatment.

We looked at four people’s care records and other records about the management of the service. After the inspection, we asked the registered manager to send us further documents and we received and reviewed this information. This evidence was included as part of our inspection.

Updated 28 February 2018

Meadowbank Residential Care Home is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. We regulate both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Meadowbank Residential Care Home can accommodate 22 people across two floors, each of which has separate adapted facilities. The service cares for adults, including people living with early stages of dementia. The premises are modern and purpose-built. People live in their own bedrooms and have access to communal facilities such as dining, lounge and activities areas. At the time of our inspection, there were 20 people living at the service.

The provider is required to have a registered manager as part of their conditions of registration. 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. At the time of our inspection, there was a registered manager in post.

People’s safety was maintained. This included protection from the risks of abuse, neglect, discrimination, injuries and accidents. People’s care documentation and the support they received ensured their maximum safety. The risks from the building and premises were mitigated, but the provider was required to update some assessments after out inspection. There were sufficient staff deployed to meet people’s needs. People were protected from the risk of infections. The service was clean and well-maintained. The management of people’s medicines was robust.

The service was compliant with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and associated codes of practice. People were assisted to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff induction, training, supervision and performance appraisals ensured workers had the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively support people. People’s care preferences, likes and dislikes were assessed, recorded and respected. We found there was appropriate access to other community healthcare professionals. People were supported to maintain a healthy lifestyle. People had adequate nutrition and hydration to ensure their wellbeing.

Staff had developed positive relationships with people who used the service and visitors. There was complimentary feedback from most people who used the service and their families. People told us they were able to participate in care planning and reviews and we saw evidence of decision-making that promoted people’s independence. People’s privacy and dignity was respected when care was provided to them.

The service provided person-centred care. Care plans were thorough and contained information of how to support people in the best possible way. We saw there was an appropriate complaints system in place. There were regular meetings and surveys to ensure respective points of view could be conveyed to the service. People and their families had a say in the everyday decision-making and operation of the service.

There was a clear focus on the quality of care at the service. This was outlined in the provider’s statement of purpose. The nominated individual and registered manager were dedicated and committed to ensure that people received the best possible care. Staff described a positive workplace culture where their contribution was recognised. The service regularly checked the safety and quality of care through audits. Action plans were developed to ensure that any improvement required were completed. There was continued investment in the service to increase the satisfaction of people that lived at Meadowbank Residential Care Home. The provider met the conditions of registration and complied with other relevant legislation related to the adult social care sector. The service had a good relationship with community stakeholders who supported people that used the service.