Elmside

Updated 21 July 2018

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 was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2014 and to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Before the inspection we reviewed information we held about the service including statutory notifications. Statutory notifications include information about important events which the provider is required to send us. We also reviewed the action plan that the provider sent to us following the last inspection.

The inspection was unannounced and carried out by two inspectors and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has experience of using this type of service or supporting a person using this type of service. In addition, there was a member of staff from the CQC business team observing the inspection for development purposes.

During the inspection we spoke with six people who used the service, five relatives, seven staff members which included agency staff, the regional support manager and the registered manager. We also received information from service commissioners and health and social care professionals. We viewed information relating to six people’s care and support. We also reviewed records relating to the management of the service.

We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us due to their complex health needs.

Updated 21 July 2018

This inspection was carried out on 19 June 2018 and was unannounced. At their last inspection on 13 July 2017, they were found to not be meeting the standards. This was in relation to governance systems, the number of skilled and knowledgeable staff, care plans not being up to date and care needs not being met. Following the inspection, they sent us an action plan stating how they would address and resolve the issues. At this inspection, we found that they had made the required improvements and were now meeting the standards.

Elmside 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.

Elmside provides accommodation for up to 69 older people, some of whom live with dementia. The home is not registered to provide nursing care. At the time of the inspection there were 65 people living there.

The service had a manager who was registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated Regulations about how the service is run. The registered manager was new in post following the last inspection.

People, relatives and staff felt the service was well run and there were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and address any shortfalls. The management team worked with other agencies to improve and maintain standards.

People felt safe and were supported by staff who knew how to reduce risks, were trained and had regular supervision. Lessons learned were shared and any incidents were reviewed. Medicines were managed safely and there were effective infection control practices.

People were supported by sufficient staff who were recruited safely. However, staff felt at times they were short staffed.

People are supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice. The principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were adhered to and people were supported to eat and drink enough and risks were monitored. There was regular access to health professionals and the design of the building suited people’s needs.

People were treated with dignity and respect. We found staff were kind and friendly. Confidentiality was promoted and people were involved in their care.

People’s care needs were met in a way they liked and care plans included the appropriate information to help ensure care was provided in a person centred and safe way. Where people were supported at the end of their lives, this was done with dignity and kindness. People enjoyed the activities provided and complaints were responded to and feedback was sought.