Background to this inspection
Updated
6 April 2016
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 8 March 2016 and was unannounced. The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Before the inspection we received information from a local contracts officer and we looked at all of the information that we had about the home. This included information from notifications received by us. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send to us by law.
During the inspection we spoke with seven people who used the service, two relatives and a visiting health care professional. We also spoke with the registered manager; one team leader; two senior care staff; three care staff; one registered nurse; one activities co-ordinator; two catering staff and the receptionist. We looked at four people’s care records and records in relation to the management of the service and the management of staff. We observed people’s care to assist us in our understanding of the quality of care people received.
Updated
6 April 2016
The Red House Residential and Nursing Home is registered to provide accommodation, personal and nursing care for up to 60 people. The home is located in a residential area of the fenland market town of Ramsey. Short and long term stays are offered. At the time of our inspection there were 55 people living at the home.
This comprehensive inspection took place on 8 March 2016 and was unannounced.
A registered manager was in post at the time of our inspection and had been registered since 9 November 2015. 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.
Staff were knowledgeable about identifying and reporting any incident of harm that people may experience. People were looked after by enough staff to support them with their individual needs. Measures were in place to cover staff absence and there was monitoring of sickness levels of individual members of staff. Satisfactory pre-employment checks were completed on staff before they were allowed look after people who used the service. People were supported to take their medicines as prescribed and medicines were safely managed.
People had sufficient amounts of food and drink. People were offered choices of food and drink and people liked the choices that were available. They were also supported to access a range of health care services and their individual health needs were met.
People’s rights in making decisions and suggestions in relation to their support and care were respected. Where people were not able to make such decisions, their needs were met in their best interest.
People were looked after by staff who were trained and supported to do their job.
The CQC monitors the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 [MCA] and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards [DoLS] which applies to care services. When people were assessed to lack capacity, their care was provided in their best interests. However, DoLS applications had not been made to responsible authorities when some of the people had restrictions imposed on them. Therefore, the provider was not acting in accordance with the requirements of the MCA.
People were treated by kind and attentive staff. They and their relatives were involved in the review of people’s individual care plans.
People’s care was provided based on their individual needs and they were supported to maintain contact with their relatives. People were encouraged to take part in a range of hobbies and interests. There was a process in place so that people’s concerns and complaints were listened to.
Staff were trained and supported to look after people in a safe way. Staff, people and their relatives were able to make suggestions and actions were taken as a result. Monitoring procedures were in place to review the standard and quality of people’s care.
We found the provider was in breach of one regulation in relation to lack of submission of DoLS applications to the appropriate authorities. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.