19 April 2018
During a routine inspection
Norton Court provides care and support to older people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared building. The accommodation is rented, and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service. At the time of our inspection 32 people were using the service.
The manager in post was new and was in the process of completing their application to register with the CQC to become the registered manager for the service. 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.
People felt safe with staff and with the support they provided. People’s care needs and risks were assessed. Management plans were developed to address risks to people and detailed how their individual care needs would be met. Risks management and care plans were reviewed and updated to reflect people’s current situations. People and their relatives were involved in their care planning.
Medicines were handled and administered safely. Staff understood the organisation’s medicines policy and followed it to ensure people received their medicines safely.
People received care and support from staff when they required it. Staff were recruited in a way that ensured people were safe with them. Staff understood how to recognise signs of abuse and how to protect people from the risk of abuse. Staff followed practices that reduced the risk of infection and contamination. Incidents and accidents were managed in a way that ensured lessons were learnt to prevent reoccurrence.
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 place support this practice. People consented to their care. People and their relatives were involved in making decisions about their care. Staff and the manager understood their roles and responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005.
Staff were supported through induction, on-going training, regular supervision; and appraisal to be effective in their roles. The service liaised effectively with social and health care professionals; and other services to meet people’s needs appropriately. Staff supported people, where required to arrange and attend appointments to maintain good health. People’s nutritional and dietary needs and requirements were met.
People were cared for by staff who were caring. People told us staff treated them with kindness and respect. Staff understood the importance of delivering care to people in a way that maintained people’s dignity, privacy and independence. People were given choice about their care.
Staff had received equality and diversity training and they respected people’s individualities. Staff supported people to maintain their religious and cultural beliefs. People had a range of activities they participated in to occupy them.
People, their relatives and staff were involved in developing the service. Their views and feedback were taken into account in designing the service. People and their relatives knew how to raise concerns about the service. The manager investigated and responded to complaints and concerns appropriately to improve the service.
The provider assessed and monitored the quality of service delivered using a range of systems. They worked in partnership with other agencies to deliver an effective service to people.