Bolton Extra Care

Updated 6 December 2023

The inspection

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

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by 1 inspector.

Service and service type

This service provides personal care to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is bought or rented and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there were 2 registered managers in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that the provider or registered managers would be in the office to support the inspection. We wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

Inspection activity started on 17 November 2023 and ended on 20 November 2023. We conducted a site visit on 17 November 2023.

What we did before the inspection

We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We asked the local authority and the local Healthwatch team to share feedback about the service. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 5 people who used the service. We also spoke with 8 staff including 2 registered managers, 2 team leaders and 4 care staff. We also reviewed feedback that was prompted by inspection activity from 2 relatives.

We reviewed a range of records. This included 4 people's care records and multiple medication records. We looked at 2 staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

Updated 6 December 2023

About the service

Bolton Extra Care provides care and support to people living in specialist 'extra care' housing. The service provides personal care to people living in their own homes within the extra care schemes. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people's personal care and support service. There were 191 people using the service at the time of the inspection.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People who used the service told us they felt safe. Risk assessments were in place where people had specific medical conditions. Staff had received safeguarding training and knew how to raise any concerns. Medicines had been administered safely and staff had received appropriate training in this area.

Staff had a clear understanding of infection control practices they were to follow. Regular one-to-one supervisions had been conducted and a variety of training had been provided to ensure staff were supported and had the skills and knowledge to carry out their roles.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People told us staff were kind and caring and treated them with dignity and respect. Care plans contained person-centred information. Regular reviews of people's care and support had been completed to ensure people's needs were being met. A complaints procedure was in place and people told us they knew how to raise a concern.

The management team requested feedback from people who used the service. Quality assurance processes were in place and these had been effective in identifying any shortfalls. Staff told us the management team were approachable and they had an open-door policy. People who used the service said they were listened to and respected. They told us the service was well-led by an experienced management team.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good, published on 7 March 2018.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Bolton Extra Care on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.