Archived: Abbotts Court

Updated 31 October 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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.

This inspection took place on 27 September 2017 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of one adult social care inspector and one expert-by-experience. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of caring for someone who uses this type of care service for older people including people who live with dementia.

Before the inspection, we had received a completed Provider Information Return (PIR). The PIR asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed the PIR and other information we held about the service as part of our inspection. This included the notifications we had received from the provider. Notifications are changes, events or incidents the provider is legally obliged to send CQC within required timescales. We contacted commissioners from the local authorities who contracted people’s care.

During this inspection we carried out observations using the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a specific way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not communicate with us. We undertook general observations in communal areas and during mealtimes.

During the inspection we spoke with seven people who lived at Abbotts Court, eight relatives, the registered manager, the provider, six support workers including one senior support worker, the activities co-ordinator, two members of catering staff, the maintenance person and two visiting health care professionals. We reviewed a range of records about people’s care and how the home was managed. We looked at care records for four people, recruitment, training and induction records for five staff, four people’s medicines records, staffing rosters, staff meeting minutes, meeting minutes for people who used the service and relatives, the maintenance book, maintenance contracts and quality assurance audits which the registered manager had completed.

Updated 31 October 2017

This was an unannounced inspection carried out on 27 September 2017.

This was the first inspection of Abbotts Court since it was re- registered with the Care Quality Commission in April 2016.

Abbotts Court is registered to provide personal and nursing care to a maximum of 47 older people, including people who live with dementia or a dementia related condition. Nursing care is not provided. At the time of inspection 41 people were using the service.

There was a registered manager in place. 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.

Due to their health conditions and complex needs not all people were able to share their views about the service they received. Those that could speak with us told us that care was provided with kindness and staff were approachable. We observed that people’s privacy and dignity were respected. Staff knew the people they were supporting well and records reflected the care provided by staff.

People and their relatives told us the home kept them safe. They trusted the workers who supported them. There were sufficient staff to provide safe and individual care to people. People were protected as staff had received training about safeguarding and knew how to respond to any allegation of abuse. When new staff were appointed, thorough vetting checks were carried out to make sure they were suitable to work with people who needed care and support.

Risks to people were assessed and plans put in place to reduce the chances of them occurring. People’s medicines were managed safely. Staff were aware of people's nutritional needs and made sure they were supported with eating and drinking where necessary.

Communication was effective to ensure any changes in people’s care and support needs were met. People's health needs were identified and staff worked with other professionals to ensure these were addressed. People’s preferences in relation to their end of life care had been discussed and the service aimed to provide people with a home for the rest of their lives.

Appropriate training was provided and staff were supervised and supported. Staff had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and best interest decision making, when people were unable to make decisions themselves. 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.

A complaints procedure was available and people we spoke with said they knew how to complain, although most people said they had not needed to. Where a complaint had been received it had been satisfactorily resolved.

People had the opportunity to give their views about the service. There was consultation with people and family members and their views were used to improve the service. The provider undertook a range of audits to check on the quality of care provided.