Dove Court is registered to provide accommodation and care for up to 76 people. At the time of our inspection there were 66 people living at the service. The service is a two storey premises located on the outskirts of Wisbech. The service has communal lounges and dining areas on each floor and all bedrooms are single rooms with an en-suite toilet and washbasin. The service is split into units where people are cared for according to their personalities as well as needs and independence.This unannounced comprehensive inspection was undertaken by two inspectors and an expert by experience and took place on 24 May 2017. At the previous inspection in 6 October 2014 the service was rated as ‘Good’.
A registered manager was in post at the time of the inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
Staff were knowledgeable about safeguarding procedures and keeping people safe from harm. Staff knew how to contact organisations responsible for investigating safeguarding should any such these incident occur. However, these incidents had not always been reported to the relevant authorities. Accidents and incidents were identified and acted upon when required.
Assessments had been completed to reduce the risk of people being exposed to any potential of harm such as choking, falls, malnutrition and skin integrity. Systems were in place to manage these risks effectively.
People’s care needs had been assessed. These assessed needs were supported by a sufficient number of appropriately recruited and suitably skilled staff.
Staff were trained to achieve the required standard before being deemed competent to safely administer people's prescribed medicines. The recording, management, storage and disposal of medicines was undertaken safely.
Staff had been trained on the subjects they needed to be in order to meet people's care needs such as safeguarding, diabetes and moving and handling. People were enabled, as a result of staff's interventions, to access support from external healthcare professionals in a timely manner.
The CQC is required by law to monitor the Mental Capacity Act 2005 [MCA] and to report on what we find. People were supported to have choice and control of their lives. People's ability to make day-to-day and more complex decisions about their care and welfare were assessed by staff. Restrictions on people’s liberty had been determined as being in their best interests or in the least restrictive way possible such as the use of bed rails.
People were cared for with kindness by staff who showed them compassion.
People, their relatives or legal representative were enabled to be involved in identifying, determining and planning the review of their care.
People were supported to be as independent as they wanted to be where this was safe. People were actively encouraged to take part in hobbies, interests and pastimes that provided them with social stimulation. However, for those people cared for in bed there was missed opportunities for social stimulation.
People's concerns were documented and effective actions were taken to help prevent the potential for any recurrence.
The registered manager was supported by a deputy manager, senior care staff, care staff, as well as housekeeping, catering and maintenance staff. Staff were supported in their role with mentoring, supervision and on the job training. This helped staff to fulfil their role effectively.
The registered manager and provider had not always notified the CQC about important events that, by law, they are required to do. This limited organisations responsible for people's safety to take appropriate action if this was required.
People, their relatives or representative and staff were involved and enabled to make suggestions to improve how the service was run. Quality monitoring and audit systems were in place to identify and make changes in the way the service was run.
We found one breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations. We also found one breach of the Care Quality Commission Registration Regulations 2009. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.