Archived: Pippins Residential Care Home

Updated 6 July 2016

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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 31 May 2016 and was unannounced.

Two adult social care inspectors conducted the inspection.

Before the inspection we gathered and reviewed information we hold about the registered provider. This included information from previous inspections and notifications (about events and incidents in the home) sent to us by the provider.

Following the inspection we received a completed Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asked the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

We met, spoke with or spent time with all 18 people using the service, the registered manager and three staff. Following the inspection we received an email from staff from the local authority’s quality assurance team. We also received emails from four relatives.

We walked around the service with the registered manger and saw the communal areas and a number of individual bedrooms. We observed the interaction between staff and people living at the home and reviewed a number of records. The records we looked at included three people’s care records, the provider’s quality assurance system, accident and incident reports, staff records, records relating to medicine administration and staffing rotas.

Updated 6 July 2016

Pippins residential care home offers accommodation with personal care for up to 21 older people. Nursing care is not provided by the service.

This unannounced inspection took place on 31 May 2016. The service was last inspected on 3 December 2013 when it was meeting the requirements that were looked at.

A registered manager was employed at 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. The registered person employed a registered manager although there was no legal requirement to do so. This was because the registered provider is an individual, rather than a company.

People’s personal information was not always stored in a confidential way. However, following the inspection the manager told us they had removed all personal information from communal areas.

Medicines were not always managed safely. People’s medicines were not always ordered in time to ensure stocks were maintained. When medicines were received the total quantity of medicine in stock was not always recorded. Temperatures of the fridge used to store certain medicines were not always recorded. Other aspects of medicine administration were managed safely.

People’s needs were met in a safe and timely way as there were enough staff available. People told us they were happy with staffing levels and told us “Staff are very good, take their time” and “If you ring the bell they always come”. People’s needs were met by kind and caring staff who ensured people’s privacy and dignity was respected at all times. People said “This is absolutely the best”, “They look after us well”, “I’m thoroughly spoilt” and “I count my blessings that I am here”.

There were ways for people to express their views about their care. Each person had their care needs reviewed on a regular basis which enabled them to make comments on the care they received and voice their opinions. Some people had completed their own care plans, indicating their needs and preferences. The home operated a key worker system where each person had a nominated member of staff who coordinated their care. Staff told us this helped them build relationships and get to know people well. People knew who their key worker was and could ask them if they needed anything. One person told us they had chosen their key worker. They said “she’s brilliant. She can tell from my face if I’m worried about anything”.

People were encouraged to make suggestions about improving the quality of the service provided. For example, people had requested a box to place outgoing mail into. Such a box had been placed in the hall way.

An activities organiser was employed and there was a range of activities on offer including word games and trips out. People told us they had recently been on a boat trip down the river Dart and had ice cream. During the inspection people were enjoying walking around and sitting in garden. One person said “I like sitting in the garden for fresh air”.

People were supported to maintain good health. A healthy balanced diet was available and people saw their GP when needed. People told us “Food is wonderful. They ask what we would like on the menu” and “It’s a lovely place, good food, good care”.

People told us they felt safe. Staff had received training in how to recognise and report abuse. Thorough recruitment procedures ensured the risks of unsuitable staff being employed were minimised.

Staff received training that helped them meet people’s needs. For example, staff had received training in moving and transferring, infection control and first aid.

Staff displayed a good understanding of the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the associated Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). This ensured people’s human rights were protected. People were asked for their consent before staff provided personal care.

Relatives and people living at Pippins were confident that if they raised concerns they would be dealt with efficiently. One relative contacted us following the inspection. They wrote in an email ‘We were very satisfied with the way [registered manager and provider] dealt with the matter’.

The registered manager was very open and approachable. Staff told us they felt well supported. The registered manager was keen to improve the service and a member of the local authority’s quality improvement team told us “I’ve always found the manager to be receptive and open to any support and learning to help to develop the service”.

There were effective quality assurance systems in place to monitor care. For example, there were regular audits of the environment and care plans. The provider took an active part in the running of the home and they produced a monthly report on the running of the home.

The registered manager was keen to improve the service provided. They told us they were looking at more informal ways to receive feedback from people. Following the inspection they wrote to us and told us they had placed complaint/comment forms in the hallway, lounge and library area. They had also place notebooks on dining room tables for people to write any comments in.