Archived: Maids Moreton Hall

Updated 29 December 2014

The inspection team was led by an inspector, accompanied by an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. In this case they had experience of services for older people, including people who lived with dementia.

We carried out three inspections in 2013, two of which were in response to concerns raised with us. We did not identify any concerns at these inspections.

We reviewed the Provider Information Return (PIR) and previous inspection reports before the inspection and also notifications sent to us by the provider. The PIR contained information about the service from the provider. Notifications are information about specific important events the service is legally required to send to us.

Before the inspection we contacted 11 health and social care professionals who gave us feedback about the service. This included GPs, community dietician service, care commissioners and the local authority quality in care team.

During the inspection we spoke with 12 people, five relatives, 11 members of the nursing and care staff team, a member of the housekeeping staff, one kitchen staff, the registered manager of the service and a director of Lawrence Care (Maids Moreton) Limited.

We looked at six people’s care records and the medication records for five people. We looked at three staff recruitment files and staff training and supervision summaries for all care and nursing staff.

We observed people in different parts of the service, for example lounges and dining areas. In the part of the home for people who lived with dementia we used 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 talk with us.

This report was written during the testing phase of our new approach to regulating adult social care services. After this testing phase, inspection of consent to care and treatment, restraint, and practice under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) was moved from the key question ‘Is the service safe?’ to ‘Is the service effective?’

The ratings for this location were awarded in October 2014. They can be directly compared with any other service we have rated since then, including in relation to consent, restraint, and the MCA under the ‘Effective’ section. Our written findings in relation to these topics, however, can be read in the ‘Is the service safe’ sections of this report.’

Updated 29 December 2014

Overall summary 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 was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social care Act 2008 and to pilot a new inspection process being introduced by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) which looks at the overall quality of the service.

This was an unannounced inspection which meant the staff and provider did not know when we would be visiting.

Maids Moreton Hall provides accommodation and care, including nursing and respite care, for up to 60 older people, some of whom may live with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 39 people living in the service.

There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with CQC to manage the service and has the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law, as does the provider.

People received responsive care from well-supported nursing and care staff. People and/or their relatives, were involved in reviews of their care and were asked for their view of the service through meetings and surveys.

Staff knew what people’s care needs were and how they wanted them to be met. Staff had the necessary training to provide them with the skills they needed to provide appropriate and effective care. The process for the recruitment of staff was thorough and robust and protected people from the employment of unsuitable people to support them. People told us there were enough staff available to meet their needs promptly.

Staff knew what to do if they saw or suspected abuse was taking place and understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005(MCA) and the associated Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). Mental capacity assessments and best interest meetings had taken place as required under that legislation. The service was meeting the requirements of the DoLS.

Throughout our inspection we observed very respectful and relaxed interactions between people and the staff supporting them.

We received very positive assessments of the care provided by the service from GPs and other community health professionals.

The environment was clean and well-maintained. The first floor accommodation for people living with dementia had been improved by creating a dementia friendly dining and lounge area. This meant the facilities they needed were now easy for them to reach.

The registered manager and provider regularly assessed and monitored the quality of care. This included audits of medication and care plans to ensure they were accurate and up to date.