The Params

Updated 24 March 2021

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.

As part of CQC’s response to the coronavirus pandemic we are looking at the preparedness of care homes in relation to infection prevention and control. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 3 March 2021 and was announced.

Updated 24 March 2021

This inspection took place on 11 April 2018. When we last inspected the service in November 2015 they were meeting the regulations we looked at and we rated the service Good overall and in all five key questions.

The Params is a small care home which provides care and support for up to thirteen people with learning disabilities, sensory impairments and mental health needs. On the day of our inspection eleven people were living at this home.

At the time of the inspection, there was a registered manager. 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 told us they felt safe. Many of the people had been living at the Params for more than ten years and from what they told us, evidently considered themselves to be safe and secure in their home. People received care and support from staff who knew their needs and preferences well.

People were supported by staff who had also worked in the home in the long term and knew how to keep people safe. Risks to people's health and safety were assessed. There were good risk management plans in place.

People were supported by appropriate numbers of staff. Robust staff recruitment procedures helped to keep people safe.

People were supported with the safe administration of their medicines and there were regular audits undertaken by the provider to monitor the processes in place and to ensure people remained safe.

People were supported by staff who were well trained and supervised.

The provider ensured people's nutritional needs were met. People planned their meals, shopped for ingredients and cooked their own food with the support of staff.

People's healthcare needs were met and staff supported them to attend medical appointments.

Staff had undertaken training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and were aware of their responsibilities in relation to people who might be deprived of their liberty. They ensured people were given choices and the opportunity to make decisions.

People, their relatives and professionals told us staff were consistently kind and caring and established positive relationships with them and their families. Staff valued people, treated them with respect and promoted their rights, choice and independence.

Comprehensive care plans were in place detailing how people wished to be supported. We saw people were central to the process of how their care and support was delivered.

People participated in a wide range of activities within the home and in the community and received the support they needed to help them to do this.

There was a complaints procedure in place and relatives felt confident to raise any concerns either with the staff or the registered manager if they needed to. The complaints procedure was available in different formats so that it was accessible to everyone.

We found there was an open and transparent culture in the home where staff were encouraged to share in the development of the home for the people living in it.

We found the provider had a system in place that sought feedback about the quality of the service from different people involved with the service. There were good systems in place to use the feedback received to improve the service where necessary.