21 August 2023
During a routine inspection
Park House Nursing Care Centre is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to up to 30 people. The service provides support to people who may be living with dementia and physical disabilities. At the time of our inspection there were 24 people using the service.
People were supported in an extended Grade II building with accommodation over two floors. People had access to communal areas consisting of a lounge, dining room, courtyard, community room and well-tended gardens.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were at risk of poor care and support because governance systems were not effective and needed strengthening. Although audits were taking place they had failed to identify and address the issues we found during our inspection, in relation to care planning, infection prevention and control (IPC) and medicines.
People’s medicines were not always managed safely. We identified concerns relating to storage, stock levels and medicines records.
We found no evidence people had been harmed. However, risk management of ‘high risk’ medicines required further development.
The provider did not have effective safeguarding systems in place to help protect people from the risk of abuse.
The registered manager had not ensured safe recruitment practices were being followed.
Staff training records showed gaps in essential training. And there was no evidence to show that staff had completed training to meet people’s specialist care needs. For example, Motor Neurone Disease.
People were not supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff did not support them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service did not support this practice.
Care plan quality was inconsistent and required further development.
There were enough staff to meet people’s care and support needs. Staffing levels were increased if people required additional care.
People were protected from the risks of infection. We saw staff wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce the risk of spreading infections.
People’s needs had been assessed before they started using the service; and people told us they were involved in making decisions about their care.
Staff treated people with respect and upheld their privacy and dignity. Staff knew people well and encouraged them to be as independent as possible.
The service worked with a wide range of key organisations who were also involved in people’s care.
People and staff were positive about the registered manager and nominated individual. Staff said they were both approachable.
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 11 December 2018).
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.
Enforcement and Recommendations
We have identified breaches in relation to people’s safe care and treatment, staff training and support and the overall governance of the service at this inspection.
We have also made a recommendation the provider considers current guidance in relation to safeguarding processes, recruitment of new staff and supporting people to make their own decisions in line with consent to care and treatment.
Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report. 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 request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.