Parkside

Updated 28 July 2020

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 one inspector.

Service and service type

Parkside is a ‘care home’. The service also provides care and support to people living in supported living settings so that people can live in their flat as independently as possible. It provides support to people of all ages living with a range of needs including, learning disabilities, mental health conditions, sensory impairments and physical disabilities.

People's care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. The CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care support; this inspection looked at people's personal care and support.

The service had a manager registered with the CQC. 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 two working days' notice of the inspection because the service provides care to people in supported living settings and we wanted to make sure that management were available on the day of the inspection site visit. We also gave notice of our visit so that management could seek agreement from people using the service to us visiting them in their supported living settings.

Inspection activity started on 4 February 2020 and ended on 10 February 2020.

What we did before the inspection

Before the inspection visit, we reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. This included information about incidents the provider must notify us of, such as any allegations of abuse. 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.

During the inspection

On the day of the inspection, we visited the care home and three supported living settings. We looked at a total of six people's care records, medication records for eight people, five staff files in relation to recruitment, staff training, incident and accident records. We also reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including quality assurance audits and checks and records relating to the safety of the premises.

People in the home and supported living settings had learning disabilities and they could not all communicate with us and tell us what they thought about the service. We therefore spent time observing the experience of the people and their care, how the staff interacted with people and how they supported people during the day. We met and spoke with three people who lived in the home and six people who lived in the supported living settings we visited. We also met and spoke with members of staff, including the registered manager, quality and compliance lead, two team leaders and two care workers.

After the inspection

We spoke with four relatives about their experience of care provided. We also spoke with two care workers.

Updated 28 July 2020

About the service

Parkside is a care home registered to provide accommodation for three people with learning disabilities and complex needs. The service is also registered to provide personal care. This registration relates to care provided at supported living services. At the time of this inspection the service was providing care at 11 supported living services. At the time of the inspection there were three people living at the care home and 39 people at the supported living services.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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.

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

People spoke positively about the care they received. People felt safe with staff. They felt staff knew them well and were familiar with their situation and care needs.

We observed positive interaction between people and staff and there was a relaxed atmosphere in all the services we visited. People appeared at ease when in the presence of staff. Staff were patient and respectful when interacting and supporting people.

Appropriate risk assessments were in place and included guidance for staff on how to minimise risks to people. Staff we spoke with understood how to identify and report any abuse concerns.

Medicines were managed effectively in the home and in the supported living schemes we visited.

There were adequate levels of staffing to safely meet people’s needs. Appropriate recruitment checks had been carried out to ensure staff were suitable to work with people.

There was a record of essential maintenance carried out. Steps had been taken to protect people from the risk of infections.

People were cared for in a clean and homely environment by staff who were caring, competent and knowledgeable about people's needs. Training and supervision were arranged to ensure staff had the skills to carry out their role.

Staff spoke positively about working for the service and said that they received support from management. They also spoke of effective communication and team work.

People spoke highly of the meals and snacks they received. Alternatives were provided if people wanted these.

There was some information about people’s oral health needs. However, there were no specific care records to instruct staff on how oral health was to be promoted. We have made a recommendation about the documentation of people's oral health care needs.

Staff understood their obligations regarding the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible.

Management monitored the quality of the services and safety of the service to ensure it remained safe for people. Quality assurance systems and processes were in place to enable management to monitor and improve the quality of people’s care.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 4 September 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.