The Care Quality Commission
  • Care Home
  • Care home

Archived: The Limes Rest Home

Overall: Requires improvement read more about inspection ratings

75-79 Cartland Road, Stirchley, Birmingham, West Midlands, B30 2SD (0121) 443 1789

Provided and run by:
First Care Services Limited

All Inspections

26 and 27 November 2015

During a routine inspection

We inspected this home on 26 and 27 November 2015. This was an unannounced Inspection. The home was registered to provide residential care and accommodation for up to 28 older people. At the time of our inspection 28 people were living at the home.

The registered manager was present during our inspection. 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.

We found that people using this service were safe. People told us they were encouraged to raise any concerns they had and this was confirmed by relatives. We found that staff knew how to recognise when people might be at risk of potential harm and were aware of the registered provider’s procedures for reporting any concerns.

We received positive comments from people using the service and their relatives about the staffing arrangements in the home. Staff followed instructions to minimise known risks to people’s health and well-being. Measures had been put into place to ensure risks were managed appropriately.

People were supported by staff who had received training and who had been supported to obtain qualifications. This ensured that the care provided was safe and followed best practice guidelines. Robust recruitment checks were in place to ensure new staff were suitable to work with people using the service.

People told us they received their medicines safely. Staff responsible for administering medicines had received relevant training.

Some staff we spoke with were not knowledgeable of the requirements and their responsibilities in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Some necessary applications to apply for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) to protect the rights of people had not been submitted to the local supervisory body for authorisation.

People told us they had access to a variety of food and drink which they enjoyed. People were supported to eat and drink sufficient amounts to help them to maintain good health. People told us they were supported to have access to a wide range of health care professionals.

People told us that they were involved in the planning and reviewing of their care. Some care plans we saw did not include people’s personal history, individual preferences and interests. They did not reflect people’s care and support needs or contain specific information and guidance for staff to enable them to provide individualised care and support.

People told us, or indicated that they were happy living at the home. Some people told us they continued to pursue individual interests and hobbies that they enjoyed. Some people did not have the opportunity to participate in meaningful activities.

People using the service and their relatives knew how to raise complaints. The complaints procedure was displayed in different formats to support people’s preferred way of communicating.

Whilst there were systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service provided. We found some of the quality audits were not robust enough to identify and address areas of concern in ensuring the home was compliant with the regulations and consistently meeting people’s needs.

We recommend that the registered provider’s quality assurance arrangements are improved to identify areas of concern, to ensure the home was compliant with the regulations, and consistently meeting people’s needs.

8 May 2013

During a routine inspection

Following our last inspection in November 2012, we received information of concern about the care and welfare of people, cleanliness of the home and the numbers of and training of staff. We asked the provider to supply evidence of their investigation and compliance in these areas. In addition we brought forward this inspection visit.

As people who live in the home had difficulty with verbal communication we spoke with five relatives who had no concerns about the care that people received in the home. They told us that people were treated appropriately if they became confused and upset or had physical health concerns. They reported that the home was always clean and there were enough staff who were kind and caring towards people that lived in the home. Comments included: "I have nothing but praise for the staff here "and "When people are upset they are managed well."

Our observations and records showed that people's health and care needs were met by appropriate numbers of trained staff. There were activities that people could be involved in. Both relatives and staff told us that they could raise concerns with the management of the home and these would be dealt with appropriately.

7 November 2012

During a routine inspection

When we visited the home on 7 November 2012 we spoke with three relatives, undertook a SOFI and spent time in two sitting areas observing care practices. All of the people living in the home had dementia; the majority of people had some difficulties with verbal communication.

The majority of people that lived in the home were not able to tell us their experience of using the service because of the effects of dementia. During our observations we found that care staff continually checked that people's care needs were met. They assisted people well and gained the person's consent before assisting them. People were encouraged to do as much as they could for themselves.

We looked at four people's care and found they received the care as described in their care plan. During our observations people showed signs of well being. They were listened to and care staff tried to understand and provide what they wanted.

Systems were in place to ensure that people received the medication and health care they needed. Care staff and the management team had an understanding of the needs of people with dementia. The three visitors we spoke with were happy with the care their relatives received.