Archived: Thornton Manor Homecare

Updated 1 February 2017

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.

We visited the service on 4 January 2017. Our inspection was unannounced and the inspection team consisted of one adult social care inspector.

We spent time with people who used the service and spoke with their family members. We also spoke with two members of staff, the deputy manager and the registered manager. We looked at the care records relating to two people who used the service, which included, support plans, daily records and medication administration records. We observed interactions between people who received support and staff.

We also reviewed other information we held about the service including notifications of incidents that the registered provider sent us since the last inspection, including complaints and safeguarding information.

We contacted local commissioners of the service and the local authority safeguarding team. No concerns were raised about the service.

Updated 1 February 2017

This inspection took place on the 4 January 2017 and was unannounced.

Thornton Manor Homecare is registered as a domiciliary care service to provide personal care for people in their own homes. The service provides care and support for two people.

The service had 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.

At the last inspection on 5 January 2016 we found that a number of improvements were required. People were not always protected from the risk of unsafe care and treatment, consent to care and treatment was not always sought and the registered provider’s quality assurance systems were not effective. We asked the registered provider to take action to address these areas.

After the inspection, the registered provider wrote to us to say what they would do to meet legal requirements in relation to the breaches identified. They informed us they would meet all the relevant legal requirements by May 2016. This inspection found that improvements had been made.

Staff were trained in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and showed an improved understanding of the importance of seeking consent from people in their day to day support. The registered manager informed us following our last inspection that relevant applications under the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) had been completed as required. The registered provider had a policy and procedure on the MCA and DoLS and this was accessible to staff. However, there was limited evidence regarding ‘decision specific’ mental capacity assessments and best interests meetings.

People were protected from abuse. Family members told us that their relatives were kept safe from harm. The service had processes in place to safeguard people from different forms of abuse. Staff had been trained in safeguarding people and in the registered provider’s whistleblowing policy. Staff were confident that they could raise any matters of concern with the registered provider or the registered manager and that they would be addressed appropriately.

People received their medication as prescribed and staff had completed competency training in the administration and management of medication. Medication administration records (MARs) had been signed by staff which showed that people’s medicines had been given as prescribed.

The service had robust recruitment practices in place. Applicants for posts were assessed as suitable for their job roles. All staff received training to enable them to fulfil their roles which included essential subjects such as safeguarding people and medication training. Staff were supported through regular supervisions and team meetings.

Staff worked well with external health and social care professionals to make sure people received the care and support they needed. People were supported with their dietary needs. Where specialist input was required, the registered provider consulted with speech and language therapists to help ensure that people were being supported to safely follow their dietary requirements. People were referred onto the appropriate services when concerns about their health or wellbeing were noted.

Observations showed that people were treated with kindness and respect. Staff were mindful of their privacy and dignity and encouraged them to maintain their independence. Family members told us that they had no concerns about the care that people have been given.

Staff understood how to meet the needs of those individuals they supported. The service ensured consistency in care as a dedicated team of staff supported the same people. This enabled people and their family members to build good working relationships and develop confidence in the support provided.

Support plans were detailed and informative. They provided staff with sufficient guidance to ensure people's specific care needs were met. Risks had been appropriately assessed and staff were provided with guidance on how to protect people and themselves from each identified risk. Support plans were regularly reviewed to ensure information about people was up to date and accurate.

The registered provider’s complaints procedure was robust and accessible to people and their relevant others. Family members told us that they had never had reason to raise a complaint but were confident their concerns would be acted upon.

Quality assurance audits were undertaken by the registered provider to ensure that they service provided was effective and meeting people’s needs. Accidents and incidents were reviewed to ensure that any risks to people were minimised and we were notified as required about incidents and events which had occurred at the service.