This inspection took place on 8 September 2015 and was unannounced.
Oatleigh Care Ltd provides residential care and support for up to 42 older people, many of whom are living with dementia. Nursing care was not being provided at the time of this inspection and CQC are currently considering the provider’s registration for this regulated activity.
It is one of three locations at the same address owned by the provider. The service is located in the Oatleigh building and is situated on the second, third and fourth floors also known as ‘Covent Garden’, ‘Downing Street’ and ‘Edwards Square’. Some services and facilities such as activities, kitchen and laundry arrangements are shared between the locations as a community. Oatleigh Care Ltd has its own staff and operates independently, under the overall supervision and management control of the provider.
The home had a registered manager who was also one of the registered providers. 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.
At the last inspection in October 2014, we asked the provider to take action to make improvements to the systems in place, and records kept, to monitor the quality of the service and to ensure that medicines were being managed safely. These actions had been completed.
People using the service said they felt safe and that staff treated them well. There were procedures in place to recognise and respond to abuse and staff had been trained in how to follow these. The provider’s recruitment procedures helped ensure that people were protected from unsafe care.
There were enough staff on duty day and night to make sure people’s needs were met in a safe and timely way. Staffing was managed flexibly so that people received their care when they needed and wanted it.
People’s nutritional and dietary requirements were assessed and monitored. For people assessed as being at risk of not getting the food and fluids they needed to keep them well, records were kept documenting their food and fluid intake.
People received effective care and support because the staff were trained to meet their needs. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities and were supported to maintain and develop their knowledge and skills through regular management supervision.
A Namaste Care programme commenced in March 2015 designed to improve the quality of life for people with advanced dementia. Namaste sessions include hand and foot massage and sensory stimulation and were available to people living at Oatleigh Care Ltd along with other activities taking place in the community seven days a week.
All areas of the home were clean and well maintained creating a comfortable environment for people. Each person had a single room which was appropriately furnished and homely. The standards of décor and personalisation by people supported this.
The provider acted in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. This provides a legal framework to help ensure people’s rights are protected. Staff understood people’s rights to make choices about their care and support and their responsibilities where people lacked capacity to consent or make decisions.
Improvements had been made following our inspection in October 2014 to ensure medicines were stored, administered, recorded and disposed of safely. Staff were trained in the safe administration of medicines and kept records that were accurate.
Arrangements were in place for people and relatives to share their views or raise complaints. The provider listened and acted upon their feedback. The provider obtained the views of people using the service and their relatives or representatives and there were systems to regularly monitor the quality of the service provided at Oatleigh Care Ltd.