2 February 2022
During an inspection looking at part of the service
Rockley Dene Residential is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care for up to 35 people, some of whom are living with dementia. At the time of the inspection there were 27 people living at Rockley Dene Residential.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Effective governance and quality assurance systems were not in place. These would have picked up on the issues we found at this inspection with regard to medicine stock checks, conflicting information in people’s care records, and incomplete recruitment histories. The design, decoration and upkeep of the premises did not safely meet people’s needs. The premises required significant redecoration and refurbishment. We have made a recommendation regarding improving the frequency and variety of activities available to people.
People told us they felt safe living at Rockley Dene. Staff understood what it meant to protect people from abuse. They told us they were confident any concerns they raised would be taken seriously by managers. There were enough staff employed to meet people’s care and support needs in a timely manner. Safe procedures were in place to make sure people received their medicines as prescribed.
Staff were provided with relevant training to make sure they had the right skills and knowledge for their role. Staff were supported in their jobs. Staff understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. 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 they enjoyed the food served at Rockley Dene, which we saw took into account their dietary needs and preferences. People were supported to access relevant health and social care professionals to ensure they were getting the care and support they needed. Positive, caring and supportive relationships had been developed between people and staff. People were treated with dignity and respect.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and update
The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 13 January 2020). The provider completed an action plan after this inspection to show what they do and by when to improve.
This service was inspected again on 3 September 2020. This was a targeted inspection to check whether the service remained in breach of regulations and because of concerns CQC had about risk assessments, staffing levels, staff training and consent. Targeted inspections do not look at an entire key question, only the part of the key question we are specifically concerned about. Targeted inspections do not change the rating from the previous inspection.
At this inspection we found the provider remained in breach of regulations. The service remains rated requires improvement. This service has been rated requires improvement for the last two consecutive inspections. Prior to this the service was rated inadequate for two consecutive inspections.
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about the provider’s nursing home on the same site. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.
We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Rockley Dene Residential on our website at www.cqc.org.uk
Enforcement and Recommendations
We are mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when considering what enforcement action was necessary and proportionate to keep people safe as a result of this inspection. We will continue to monitor the service and will take further action if needed.
We have identified breaches in relation to governance and the premises.
Full information about CQC’s regulatory response to the more serious concerns found during inspections is added to reports after any representations and appeals have been concluded.
Follow up
We will meet with the provider following this report being published to discuss how they will make changes to ensure they improve their rating to at least good. We will work with the local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.