Park Lane Care Home

Updated 30 January 2019

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

The inspection was completed on 5 December 2018 and was unannounced. It was completed by one adult social care inspector, a pharmacist inspector, a specialist advisor, who was a nurse in older people’s care and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is someone who has had direct experience or their relative had used registered services such as care homes.

Prior to our inspection, we looked at all the information available to us. These included notifications sent by the service, any safeguarding alerts and information sent to us from other sources such as healthcare professionals. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to tell us about by law.

We also reviewed the service's Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that is completed at least annually. It asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. During the inspection we spoke with 12 people. However, some other people were not able to comment specifically about their care experiences, so we used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a specific way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people living with dementia. We also spoke with three relatives. We spoke in depth to the registered manager, deputy, activities coordinator, two nurses, six care staff, one housekeeping staff, maintenance person, and two kitchen staff. We received feedback from six healthcare professionals.

We looked at four care files including risk assessments, care plans and daily records. We reviewed 12 medicines records, three recruitment records and a variety of records relating to the auditing of the environment and quality of care.

Updated 30 January 2019

Park Lane is a care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. Park Lane can accommodate up to 40 older people who have nursing and or personal care needs. At the time of the inspection there were 36 people living at the service.

The home is divided into two separate units, with people who require nursing care living in one and those who did not require 24-hour nursing care living in the other. Both units had communal rooms on the ground floor and bedrooms on three floors with access via passenger lifts.

Rating at last inspection

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good, in all areas except safe, which we have now rated as requires improvement. This was because improvements were needs to the way risks were documented and in medicine records. There was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns, the areas for improvement were already being mitigated following our feedback. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

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Why the service is rated Good

People enjoyed living at Park lane. They felt safe and well cared for. Comments included, “If you only want a tissue they will get it for you, they do anything and everything for you, I can’t think of a better place.” Another said, “I feel well care for, they make us feel special, when it was my birthday they made me a cake, big enough for us all to share, I feel they are here for us and our needs come first.” One relative said “They wake mum up with a kiss, she is given hugs when required. There is a person employed to carry out individual pamper sessions, she comes every week she is such a lovely lady.” Healthcare professionals said staff were caring. One said, “The have observed the staff during my visits to be polite caring and helpful.”

Some improvements were needed in the way in which risks were documented. This was being addressed.

Improvements were needed to records in relation to when staff were applying topical creams. We have made a recommendation in relation to this and to ensure staff administer in line with the prescribed medicines.

Staff knew people well, understood their needs and wishes and worked in a way which showed they were respecting people’s dignity and privacy. There were sufficient staff with the right skills to meet people’s needs.

Staff had training and support to do their job effectively. Further training was planned to look at enhancing skills in understanding complex conditions such as diabetes and Parkinson’s.

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

People were protected because recruitment was robust and staff understood about abuse and who they should report any concern to.

People’s healthcare was monitored and actioned when needed. Their nutritional and hydration needs were met to ensure they maintained weight a balanced diet.

The service was clean and adapted to suit people’s needs. Audits and checks ensured quality monitoring of the records, environment and care and support being delivered.

The management approach was open and inclusive. There were and a range of ways used to gain the views of people, relatives and staff.

Further information is in the detailed findings below