Archived: Parkside Care Home

Updated 15 February 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 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.

Before the inspection we reviewed all the information we held about the service including statutory notifications. We contacted relevant agencies such as the local authority, clinical commissioning group and Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. The provider had completed a Provider Information Return (PIR) in June 2017. This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. At the inspection we asked the provider for information which was more up to date where relevant.

This inspection took place on 8 and 14 December 2017and was unannounced. On day one, two adult social care inspectors, an inspection manager and an expert-by-experience carried out the inspection. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. On day two, two adult social care inspectors carried out the inspection.

During the visit we looked around the service and observed how people were being care for. 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. We spoke with eight people who used the service, five visiting relatives and a visiting health professional, five members of staff and two members of the management team which included the registered manager. We spent time looking at documents and records that related to people’s care and the management of the home. We reviewed four people’s care plans.

Updated 15 February 2018

This inspection took place on 8 and 14 December 2017 and was unannounced. This is the first inspection of Parkside Care Home.

Parkside Care Home is registered to provide care for a maximum of 36 people. The management team told us 23 people were using the service when we inspected. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The provider’s systems and processes did not enable them to effectively assess, monitor and improve the service. They did not effectively monitor and mitigate risk. Checks were not always carried out to make sure the premises and equipment were safe and comfortable to use. Bathrooms and some toilets had no heating. People did not receive regular baths and showers.

People’s care plans varied in quality. We saw some had good information about people’s preferences, likes and dislikes, however, we also saw there was sometimes a lack of guidance and evidence that appropriate care had been delivered. Risk assessments covered key areas of risk but were not always effective.

We observed many positive and kind interactions between staff and people who used the service. People were comfortable in the company of staff and others they lived with. Staff knew people well and were familiar with their routines and preferences. Staff obtained verbal consent from people before delivering care. However, we also saw two occasions where staff were not focused on the people they were supporting because they were talking to each other. Staff referred to people as ‘singles’ and doubles’.

A choice of meals was provided although this was limited; the alternative main meal was a snack type meal such as jacket potato, soup and sandwiches, chip butty or salad. People received regular snacks between breakfast, lunch and teatime, however, we saw people who got up early had to wait two hours before they received a drink. The service did not have an activity worker which meant person centred activities and social stimulation was not being provided on a regular basis.

People told us they were happy living at Parkside Care Home. Everyone we spoke with said staff were friendly and kind. People we spoke with said they would feel comfortable talking to staff or the registered manager if they had concerns.

At the time of the inspection there were enough staff to keep people safe; the provider was introducing a dependency tool to help calculate staffing requirements. Staff received training and support to help them understand their role and responsibilities.

We found four breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) regulations 2014: The provider was not always assessing and managing risk: The provider’s systems and processes did not enable them to assess, monitor and improve the service. The provider did not ensure the care people received was appropriate. The provider did not ensure people's nutritional needs were met. You can see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.