Housing 21 - Dovecote Meadow

Updated 31 August 2019

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by an inspector 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 for older people.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is bought or rented and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that management would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 11 people who used the service about their experience of the care provided and five relatives. We spoke with 13 members of staff including four assistant care managers, an assistant housing manager, one domestic staff member and seven support workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included six people’s care records and three medicines records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment and training. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures, were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records.

Updated 31 August 2019

About the service

Housing and Care 21-Dovecote Meadow provides personal care to people living in apartments on a shared site. The complex comprises 175 apartments across three buildings.

Not everyone living at Dovecote Meadow received personal care. The Care Quality Commission only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of the inspection there were 83 people in receipt of a service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Everyone we spoke with complimented and praised the staff team and gave examples of the outstanding care that was delivered. One relative said, "Anything you ask they do, they bend over backwards to make [Name] feel comfortable. Staff are loving and so friendly."

The provider's vision and values were person-centred to make sure people were at the heart of the service. This vision was driven by the exceptional leadership of the registered manager.

Staff were highly skilled and knowledgeable about each person they cared for and they were extremely committed to making a positive difference to each person. They were enthusiastic and believed passionately in the ethos of the service. One staff member told us, "Staff work as a team and we are there to support people whatever they need. As people become more dependent we try to help them remain at Dovecote."

People were extremely well-cared for, relaxed and comfortable. Staff knew the people they were supporting very well and care was provided with exceptional patience and kindness. The service went to great lengths to ensure people's privacy and dignity were always respected.

People using the service, their relatives and staff were confident about approaching the registered manager if they needed to. They were extremely complimentary about the registered manager and the whole workforce. They recognised that their views were valued and respected by the provider who consistently used their feedback to support quality service development.

There was a very strong and effective governance system in place. Processes were in place to manage and respond to complaints and concerns.

There was clear evidence of collaborative working and excellent communication with other professionals to help meet people's needs and maintain their independence wherever possible.

The service was flexible and responsive to people's needs and was able to accommodate sudden changes to them. Records were well-personalised, up-to-date and accurately reflected people's care and support needs. Care was completely centred and tailored to each individual.

Systems were in place to encourage positive risk taking to maintain people's independence. Risk assessments identified current risks to the person as well as ways for staff to minimise or appropriately manage those risks.

There were sufficient staff employed. All people told us they felt very safe with staff support. One person commented, "I cut myself and staff were here like lightening."

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People were supported to access health care professionals when required. They received varied and nutritious diets.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 13 January 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.