10 December 2014
During a routine inspection
This inspection took place on the 10 December 2014 and was unannounced.
At our previous inspection in June 2014 we found the provider did not keep protect people from the risks associated with the unsafe management of medicines. People’s care and welfare needs were not always met. The provider’s quality monitoring systems were not effective and staff were not supported to fulfil their roles. Due to the seriousness of the issues relating to the safe management of medicines we issued the provider with a warning notice. We conducted a follow up inspection in August 2014 to look to see if improvements had been made in this area and found that although some improvement had been made the provider was still not managing people’s medicines safely.
Sister Dora provides accommodation and nursing or personal care for up to 47 people. At the time of the inspection 34 people were using the service.
The home has a registered manager although they had been absent from the service since May 2014 and the deputy manager was acting as the manager in the interim. 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.
At this inspection we found that the provider continued to not ensure that people’s medicines were managed safely. Medicine were not administered safely and people were at risk of receiving medicines that were out of date.
The provider was not following the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards are for people who cannot make a decision about the way they are being treated or cared for in a hospital or care home, where other people are having to make this decision for them. Not all people had not been involved in the decision making about their own care, treatment and support. We raised a safeguarding referral with the local authority for one person who may have been restricted of their liberty.
People told us and we saw that people who used the service were treated with dignity and respect and their privacy was ensured at all times. Activities were on offer dependent on people’s individual preferences.
Staffing levels were sufficient to meet the needs of people who used the service. People did not have to wait to have their care needs met.
Staff had received a period of induction and training to become competent in their role.
People received health and social care support when they needed it. When people’s needs changed or they became unwell the relevant professional advice was gained in a timely manner.
People who used the service and their relatives were kept informed and involved in the running of the home. There was a complaints procedure and we saw that formal complaints had been managed appropriately.