The Dales

Updated 18 December 2018

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 is 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 comprehensive inspection of The Dales, took place on 3 December 2018 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of an inspector, an assistant inspector, a specialist advisor in governance and 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.

We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return (PIR). This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

Before the inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service and requested feedback from other stakeholders. These included the local Healthwatch England, the local authority safeguarding and commissioning teams and contracts department. Healthwatch England is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England.

We spoke with the regional director, the senior general manager, deputy manager, a nurse, two senior care staff and two care assistants, a chef, a hostess and the activities coordinator. We also spoke with four people who used the service and five relatives.

We looked at four people’s care plans in detail. We inspected staff members recruitment records, and/or supervision, appraisal and training documents. We looked at medication administration records. We reviewed documents and records that related to the management of the service, which included audits, building maintenance and meeting minutes.

Updated 18 December 2018

The Dales is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The Dales is owned by Barchester Healthcare and is registered to provide nursing care for up to 56 people. The home is in the small village of Draughton, which is close to the town of Skipton. Accommodation is on two floors. There is a passenger lift. The home has three separate communities each offering a different service. The upper floor community is called Memory Lane, which was for people living with dementia and two communities on the ground floor are called Pemberton and Clifford and was for people with residential and nursing needs. Of the 56 bedrooms, 20 have en-suite facilities and five rooms are able to be used as double rooms. There are attractive gardens and car parking is available on site. At the time of the inspection there was 45 people living in the home.

At our last inspection in 2016 we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

This inspection took place on 3 December 2018.

The registered manager was supported by a deputy manager and roles were clearly defined. The registered manager was not present at the time of the inspection. 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 remained safe at the home. Systems and processes were in place to keep people safe and risks associated with people’s care needs had been assessed. The home was clean and infection control measures were in place. Medicines were managed safely and staff responsible for administering medicines had received the relevant training and their competency assessed.

Recruitment procedures were robust and new staff received appropriate induction. People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff. Staff training was provided to meet people’s care and support needs. Staff received supervision and annual appraisals.

People’s nutritional and healthcare needs were met. Staff enabled people to access healthcare professionals when required. The management team worked in partnership with other organisations to support people’s needs.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff assisted them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People were offered choice, such as, what they wanted to wear and what they wanted for their meals.

Staff knew people well and care plans were, detailed and provided staff with guidance on how to meets people’s needs. Where required, people’s end of life wishes were recorded in their care plan. Observations showed staff were caring and patient. Staff respected people’s privacy and dignity and encouraged people to remain independent. People’s social support needs were met through a range of activities that were available for people to take part in.

There was a complaints policy in place and the complaints procedure was made available to people and their relatives. Complaints were appropriately responded to and outcomes were actioned.

Accidents and incidents were monitored by the management team. There was a range of quality audits in place, which were effective and identified actions were followed up. People and relatives were able to give feedback through meetings.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.