Cuffley Manor Care Home

Updated 13 January 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 inspection took place on 12 October 2017 and was unannounced.

The inspection team was formed of two inspectors.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that requires the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they planned to make. We also reviewed information we held about the service including statutory notifications that had been submitted. Statutory notifications include information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. We spoke with one health professional who had experience of working with Cuffley Manor for their views of the service provided.

During the inspection we observed staff supporting people who used the service, we spoke with nine people who used the service, three people’s relatives, five members of staff, the manager and regional manager for the provider. We also spoke with one visiting health professional.

We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We reviewed care records relating to four people who used the service and other documents central to people’s health and well-being. These included staff training records, medication records and various management records.

Updated 13 January 2018

Cuffley Manor Care Home is a newly purpose built home that is registered to provide residential accommodation and personal care for up 60 older people some of whom are living with dementia. At the time of our inspection 24 people were living at the home.

The home had a registered manager in post; however this had been a temporary arrangement as another of the providers registered managers provided cover whilst a new manager was recruited. This was due to be transferred to the newly appointed new manager shortly after our inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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 told us they felt safe living at Cuffley Manor Care Home. Staff were aware of how to keep people safe and ensure risks to people’s safety and well-being were identified and managed. There were sufficient numbers of staff deployed to support people in a timely manner and recruitment checks were robust to ensure staff employed were sufficiently skilled. There were suitable arrangements for the safe storage, and administration of people’s medicines, including controlled drugs, and people’s medicines were regularly reviewed.

Staff had the skills and knowledge necessary to provide people with safe and effective care and demonstrated this throughout the inspection. Staff received regular support from management which helped them feel supported and valued. People were asked for their permission before staff assisted them with care or support. People received appropriate support and encouragement to eat and drink sufficient quantities and people’s nutritional needs were assessed and monitored effectively. People had access to a range of healthcare professionals when they needed them and feedback from health care professionals was positive.

People’s privacy and dignity was promoted. People told us they were treated with care, kindness and compassion by staff who listened to them and clearly knew them well. Staff spoken with knew people’s individual needs and were able to describe to us how to provide care to people that matched their current needs. Advocacy support was available to those people who wished to have support.

People received care that was responsive to their needs and took into account their preferences and supported their independence. A range of activity and stimulation was provided both to people within groups and also individually. People were supported to maintain hobbies and interests. People told us they felt confident to raise anything that concerned them with staff or management. Complaints reviewed demonstrated the manager responded to these appropriately.

People, staff and relatives were positive about the appointment of the new manager. The culture in the home was open, and transparent. Regular meeting were held with staff to discuss improvements and a robust system of auditing the quality of care was operated by the manager. People’s care records required improvement to ensure they provided a comprehensive account people’s needs. Arrangements were in place to obtain feedback from people who used the service, their relatives, and staff members about the quality of care services provided. Arrangements were in place to regularly monitor and review the quality of the care and support provided for people who lived at Cuffley Manor Care Home.