Archived: Manston Court

Updated 6 December 2017

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

The inspection took place on 13 July 2017. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of our visit to make sure people we needed to speak with would be available. The inspection team consisted of one inspector and an expert by experience who carried out telephone interviews with people who received services from Nestor Primecare Services Limited. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. On this inspection the expert by experience had experience of supporting family members living with dementia who used regulated services.

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 reviewed other information we had received from people who used the service and employees.

We spoke by telephone with six people who indicated they would be willing to do so. We spoke with the site manager, the registered manager’s stand-in, other members of the provider’s management team including the care director, and four members of staff.

We looked at care plans and associated records of four people. We reviewed other records relating to the management of the service, including risk assessments, quality survey and audit records, management reports, training records, policies, procedures, meeting minutes, and staff recruitment records.

Updated 6 December 2017

The inspection took place on 13 July 2017. We gave 48 hours’ notice of our intention to visit Manston Court to make sure people we needed to speak with were available.

Nestor Primecare Services Limited (also known as Allied Healthcare) provides personal care services for people living in an extra care housing scheme at Manston Court. The management of the building and facilities is not the responsibility of Nestor Primecare Services Limited. The building contains self-contained flats with some shared facilities. Nestor Primecare Services Limited has an office in the building from which they manage their service. At the time of our inspection there were 48 people receiving personal care and support. These included people living with dementia, people with a learning disability or physical disability and people recovering from a stroke.

This was the first inspection since Nestor Primecare Services Limited took over responsibility for the regulated activity of personal care at Manston Court.

There was a registered manager in post, although they were temporarily not available at the time of our inspection. 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. We spoke with the provider’s site manager and the registered manager’s stand-in.

The provider had arrangements in place to protect people from risks to their safety and welfare, including the risks of avoidable harm and abuse. Staffing levels were sufficient to support people safely. Recruitment processes were in place to make sure the provider only employed workers who were suitable to work in a care setting. There were arrangements in place to store medicines safely and administer them safely and in accordance with people’s preferences.

Staff received appropriate training and supervision to maintain and develop their skills and knowledge to support people according to their needs. Staff were aware of the legal protections in place to protect people who lacked mental capacity to make decisions about their care and support. Where required, people were supported to eat and drink enough to maintain their health and welfare. People were supported to access healthcare services, such as GPs and specialist nurses.

Care workers had developed caring relationships with the people they supported. People were encouraged to take part in decisions about their care and support and their views were listened to. Staff respected people’s independence, privacy, and dignity.

Care and support were based on assessments and plans which took into account people’s abilities, needs and preferences. The provider had a system in place to identify early signs of changes in people’s conditions or wellbeing.

The service had an open, empowering culture. Systems were in place to make sure the service was managed efficiently and to monitor, assess and improve the quality of service provided.