This inspection took place on 23 April 2015 and was unannounced. This visit was carried out by two Inspectors.
Richard Cox House provides accommodation for up to 29 older people, including people living with dementia. Richard Cox House is not registered to provide nursing care. There were 29 people living at the home when we inspected.
The service was found to be meeting the required standards at their last inspection on 18 July 2013.
There was a registered manager in post at this home. 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.
The CQC is required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and to report on what we find. DoLS are in place to protect people where they do not have capacity to make decisions and where it is considered necessary to restrict their freedom in some way, usually to protect themselves or others. The registered manager and staff were aware of their responsibilities under the MCA 2005 and DoLS. The manager was in the process of submitting DoLS applications to the local authority for people who needed these safeguards.
We found that, where people lacked capacity to make their own decisions, consent had been obtained in line with the MCA 2005.
We found that there was not always enough staff available to meet people’s needs on the units with only one staff member during busy times.
People were protected from the risk of abuse and felt safe at the home. Staff were knowledgeable about the different types of abuse and reporting procedures. Safe and effective recruitment practices were followed which included appropriate background and employment checks.
There were suitable arrangements for the safe storage, management and disposal of medicines.
Incidents and risks were managed well and reported appropriately and people were supported to take risks safely.
People were supported by staff that knew them well and were involved with decisions about the home, and their own care. Their independence and dignity was promoted by staff that had access to appropriate training and who were knowledgeable about their care needs.
People and their relatives felt cared for and supported by the manager, they felt listened to and that their views were taken into account. There were regular resident and staff meetings for people to express their views and any concerns were acted upon and responded to. The service had a complaints procedure in place.
The service was well led by a manager that supported an open culture. There was support for the manager. There was a quality assurance system in place that included audits to identify where improvements could be made.