Dove Court Care Home

Updated 6 October 2023

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by 3 inspectors, 1 medicines inspector and 2 Experts by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Dove Court Care Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Dove Court Care Home is a care home with nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spent time in the communal areas observing the care and support provided by staff. We spoke with 15 people who used the service, 6 relatives and 15 members of staff including care workers, nurses, unit managers, chef, housekeeper, activity coordinator, registered manager, and the area manager.

We reviewed a range of records. These included care records, records relating to medicines, staff recruitment, training and supervision, building maintenance, cleaning and equipment checks, accidents and incidents and safeguarding logs. We also looked at a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including audits and policies and procedures.

Updated 6 October 2023

About the service

Dove Court Care Home is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care for up to 120 people across four separate 30 bed purpose-built houses, each of which has separate facilities. One of the houses specialises in providing care to people with complex dementia nursing needs. At the time of our inspection there were 108 people using this service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Medicines were not always administered and managed safely, and staff recruitment systems required some improvements, we made a recommendation about this. People’s views on staffing levels were mixed and risk assessments were not always in place to identify people’s specific health conditions. Staff had received safeguarding training and people felt safe living at the service. Infection control procedures were followed.

Care plans and risk assessments had not always been updated to reflect people’s current needs. Further improvements could be made to the environment to support people living with dementia. However, the service was clean, well decorated and well furnished. Staff had received appropriate training for their role. People’s nutritional needs were being met and referrals to health care professionals were being made.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People were treated well and supported by staff who knew them. We witnessed positive interactions between staff and people living at the service. Staff members spoke positively of the work they do and felt they had time to sit and talk to people. People’s rights to confidentiality were respected.

Feedback on activities was mixed and we made a recommendation about this. Some care plans lacked detail to guide staff whereas others showed detailed information on people’s preferences and life history. The registered manager had identified these issues and was in the process of rectifying this. People’s communication needs were identified and there was a system in place for managing and responding to complaints.

Audits were not always effective in monitoring the safety of medicines, we made a recommendation about this. Policies and procedures were in place to guide staff. We observed staff and senior management to be pleasant and accommodating and staff spoke positively of the registered manager. People’s views were actively sought through meetings and satisfaction surveys.

For more details, please see the full report for Dove Court Care Home which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 13 December 2017).

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

Enforcement and Recommendations

We have identified a breach in relation to medicines. We have made recommendations in relation to staff recruitment, activities, and governance systems.

Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.