Dulas Court

Updated 6 June 2019

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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team: This consisted of one inspector 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, that is caring for older people.

Service and service type: Dulas Court is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with CQC. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection: The inspection was unannounced.

What we did: Before our inspection, we looked at information we held about the service. The provider sent us a Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed the information we held about the service, such as notifications we had received from the registered manager. A notification is information about important events, which the service is required to send us by law. We sought feedback from the local authority contract monitoring team and safeguarding team before our visit. We used this information to plan the inspection.

During the inspection, we spoke with five people who used the service and four of their relatives. We spoke with the provider, a team leader, two care workers, the administrator, the activity coordinator and the chef. We also received information from a visiting health professional. We looked at a range of documents relating to people’s care and the management of the service. These included care records for three people, medication administration records for 12 people, staff training and supervision, staffing rotas, audits and quality assurance reports. After the site visit, we spoke with the registered manager over the telephone as they were not available on the day of the inspection.

Updated 6 June 2019

About the service: Dulas Court is a residential care home that can provide personal care and support to a maximum of 31 people. The service was providing personal care to 20 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection.

People’s experience of using this service: The provider and management team were extremely good at planning and delivering care that was tailored to people’s individual needs and preferences. People’s care plans truly reflected their individual needs, interests, wishes and aspirations. There was a thoughtful and inclusive approach to organising interesting and meaningful occupations and activities for people, which enhanced the quality of their lives. The provider employed a physiotherapist to support people enhance their mobility and an Admiral Nurse to provide support and guidance to people living with dementia.

The provider had developed a culture of continual improvement and learning to ensure people received a quality service. They placed great emphasis on staff development and introduced creative ways to achieve a positive, learning experience for them. There were good monitoring systems in place to ensure the provider and senior management team had full oversight of the service. However, there were some management issues that were raised and addressed during the inspection. These were the replacement of locks on the sluice and store rooms, and cupboards that were accessible to people; one cupboard was used to store information that was confidential.

People felt safe and were able to raise concerns. The registered manager and staff team provided safe care for people. They knew how to safeguard people from abuse and managed risk in ways that ensured people continued to follow their lifestyle choices as much as possible. There was sufficient staff available to meet people’s needs and they had been recruited in a safe way.

People received their medicines as prescribed and were supported to access health professionals when required. People’s nutritional needs were met and they received a varied and nutritional diet. People told us they enjoyed their meals. People were supported to make their own choices and decisions as much as possible. When people lacked capacity, the provider and registered manager worked within mental capacity legislation and consulted with relevant people on important decisions made in their best interest.

The care staff respected people’s privacy and dignity. The approach of staff was caring and considerate. Staff received training, supervision and support that helped them to feel confident when supporting people. The environment was very clean and tidy and was suitable for people’s needs.

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

Rating at last inspection: Outstanding (report published 31 August 2016).

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.