22 January 2019
During a routine inspection
Caremark [Lanehurst Gardens] provides care and support to up to 40 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 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 service. At the time of this inspection 30 people were being supported with their personal care.
There was a dedicated office for staff within the building. One member of staff was on duty overnight to respond to people’s care needs when required. People did not have planned care needs during the night at the time of this inspection. A further senior member of staff was ‘on-call’ during out of hours to support the night care worker.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
People’s experience of using this service:
People told us they were happy using the service. They received a reliable service from a committed care staff and management team. People felt safe with staff support. Systems and processes protected people from the risk of abuse and avoidable harm. Staff were recruited safely. Checks were made which ensured new staff were of good character.
People’s needs were assessed, and person-centred care plans were developed which reflected their needs, choices and personal preferences as well as their past histories. This enabled staff to get to know people well. People had ‘lifelines’ ['call-bells'] in their flats that they could use to summon staff support as needed. Some people chose to wear their lifelines on them, so they could more easily access the ‘call-bells’ if they needed help from staff.
People received their medicines safely. Systems monitored medicines management to ensure that medicines were given to people as prescribed.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. One person told us, “I do feel free and am able to move about [without restrictions].”
People had enough to eat and drink. The landlord at this extra care scheme provided lunch time meals for people as part of their tenancy agreement. People often came together at lunch time and shared their meal in the communal dining area. The on-site care team helped people who needed support to eat their meals. Care staff provided support with breakfast and tea time meals in people's individual flats when this assistance was required.
Staff were trained and received support from the management team with regular supervisions, ‘spot checks’ and competency assessments of their abilities to perform their roles.
People and their representatives, as appropriate, were involved in their care planning and actively participated in the management of risks to themselves, when they were able to do so. This included self managing medicines and awareness of behaviours that may challenge.
Activities were provided by staff each afternoon in the communal lounge area. Links to the local community were made. One person completed a computer course with staff support at a local library.
People had access to healthcare support as they needed it.
The service was well-led by a management team who worked proactively together and with other health and social care professionals from outside of the service. There was a new care manager who told us they were in the process of completing their application to become the registered manager for the service. At the time of this inspection we had not yet received the managers application. The new manager had submitted their Disclosure and Barring Service [DBS] check. Once the DBS had been received they would be able to start the registered managers application with the Care Quality Commission [CQC].
Rating at last inspection:
This was the first inspection for this service so there was no previous inspection rating.
Why we inspected:
This inspection took place on the 22 January 2019 and was announced. This inspection was brought forward due to information of risk or concern.