Archived: Parkhill Care Homes

The service had a registered manager in post. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

We found that appropriate recruitment checks had not always taken place before staff started work to ensure staff were suitable for their roles as some required employment information that had not been obtained. However the registered manager took immediate action to address this and confirmed that all of the required information had been obtained during the course of the inspection and placed into staff files.

People using the service said they felt safe and that staff treated them well. Safeguarding adult’s procedures were robust and staff understood how to safeguard the people they supported from abuse. Appropriate procedures were in place to support people where risks to their health and welfare had been identified. There was a whistle-blowing procedure available and staff said they would use it if they needed to. People’s medicines were managed appropriately and people received their medicines as prescribed by healthcare professionals.

Staff had completed training specific to the needs of people using the service and they received regular supervision. The registered manager and staff demonstrated a clear understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and acted according to this legislation. People were provided with sufficient amounts of nutritional food and drink to meet their needs and they had access to a GP and other healthcare professionals when they needed them.

People were provided with appropriate information about the service. This ensured they were aware of the standard of care they should expect. People and their relatives, where appropriate, had been involved in planning for their care needs. There was a complaints procedure in place in a format that people could understand.

The provider recognised the importance of regularly monitoring the quality of the service provided to people. People were enabled to express their views and opinions about the service. Staff said they enjoyed working at the service and they received good support from the registered manager and provider. There was an out of hours on call system in operation that ensured management support and advice was always available when staff needed it.

We found that people were asked to consent before care was provided and the provider acted in their best interests where people were unable to make their own decisions. People received appropriate input from relevant professionals. We were told by two relatives that people were well looked after and were always offered plenty of activities.

The provider had appropriate arrangements in place to manage people's medication safely and staff had attended training for the administration of medicines. The provider had a system in place to ensure adequate staffing levels. Relatives informed us there were adequate numbers of staff and they never had concerns about staffing. The provider had record management systems in place and records were stored and retained appropriately.

We found people and their families were involved in planning their care and support, and the provider facilitated regular house meetings and key worker meetings between people and staff. People were able to make decisions about their care and support. We saw people were treated with respect and their privacy was maintained.

People's care and support needs were met and staff understood each person and how to support them. External professionals were involved in people's care, and people's health needs were addressed. People who used the service told us they knew how to complain if necessary. Staff had been trained in safeguarding adults.

Staff received an induction and on-going training in courses specific to people who used the service were provided. Staff told us they felt supported. The provider had systems in place to ensure the service was safe and had acted to make improvements to the service where this had been identified.