• Care Home
  • Care home

Archived: Orchard Residential

Overall: Requires improvement read more about inspection ratings

St. Mary's Road, Huyton, Liverpool, Merseyside, L36 5UY (0151) 480 6056

Provided and run by:
Flightcare Limited

All Inspections

10 February 2022

During an inspection looking at part of the service

About the service

Orchard Residential is a ‘care home’ providing accommodation, nursing and / or personal care for up to 26 older adults; some of whom lived with dementia. At the time of the inspection 18 people were living at the home.

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

Management of risk and safety monitoring had improved. People received safe, timely and effective care that was centred around their support needs. Care records contained up to date, consistent and relevant information that staff needed to know and risks were regularly reviewed, evaluated and followed up on when needed.

Improved medicine management processes had been identified. Medicines were safely stored and temperature checks were routinely taken, PRN (‘as and when required’ medicines) protocols had improved and controlled drugs were safely managed and administered in accordance with medication administration policy.

Infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, procedures and processes had improved. Staff were engaged in the required COVID-19 testing regime, all visitors were screened for symptoms of COVID-19 and Government guidance and best practice in relation to PPE was followed.

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.

Staffing levels and the deployment of staff was closely monitored. People received support from a consistent staff team who were skilled, experienced and competent to provide the level of care they needed. Staff received regular supervision and were supported with the necessary learning and development opportunities.

Recruitment procedures had improved and new processes had been implemented. Pre-employment recruitment checks were carried out and people received care and support from staff who had been appropriately vetted.

Overall quality assurance and governance measures had improved. The quality and safety of care was routinely monitored, the provision of care was assessed and improvements were being identified. A new manager had been appointed following the last inspection. They were aware of their regulatory roles and responsibilities and understood the importance of delivering safe, high-quality, person-centred care. We received positive comments about the improved provision of care people received.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was ‘inadequate’ (published 4 November 2021) and there were multiple breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

This service has been in special measures since November 2021. During this inspection the provider demonstrated that improvements have been made. The service is no longer rated as ‘inadequate’ overall or in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in special measures.

Why we inspected

We undertook this focused inspection to check whether the breaches of regulations and warning notice we previously served in relation to Regulation 12 and 17 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, had been met.

The focused inspection reviewed the key questions of safe, effective and well-led only. We reviewed the information we held about the service. No areas of concern were identified in the other key questions. We therefore did not inspect them. Ratings from previous comprehensive inspections for those key questions were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection.

We looked at IPC measures under the ‘safe’ key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to coronavirus and other infection outbreaks effectively.

The overall rating for the service has improved to ‘requires improvement’. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Orchard Residential Care Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk

Follow up

We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress and continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return as per inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

29 September 2021

During an inspection looking at part of the service

About the service

Orchard Residential is a ‘care home’ providing accommodation, nursing and / or personal care for up to 26 older adults; some of whom lived with dementia. At the time of the inspection 24 people were living at the home.

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

People were not receiving a safe level of care and areas of risk were not robustly monitored, reviewed or safely managed. Care records did not always contain the most relevant information or guidance that staff needed to follow, and people were exposed to unnecessary risk. One staff member told us, “Residents are not provided with a good or safe level of care.”

Unsafe medication practices were identified. Medicines were not safely stored as temperatures were not regularly monitored, controlled drugs were not always signed out by two members of staff and PRN (as and when required medicines) protocols were not in place for all residents living at the home.

Infection prevention and control (IPC) measures and arrangements were not embedded and we were not assured that people were protected from harm. Staff were not routinely engaged in a COVID-19 testing regime, enhanced cleaning regimes were not in place and regular COVID-19 symptom checks were not being carried out.

People were not supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff did not support them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service did not support this practice.

Sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, competent, skilled or experienced staff were not deployed across the home. There was no systematic approach to determine the numbers of staff needed in relation to the dependency needs of people living at the home. Staff were not supported with the necessary training, learning or development opportunities.

Recruitment of 'fit and proper' staff could not always be assured. There was evidence to suggest that the provider did not have robust recruitment procedures in place, or the relevant recruitment checks were being carried out.

Inadequate quality assurance and governance measures meant that the provision of care people received was compromised. Quality performance measures were not effectively in place, areas of risk were not safely managed, and regulatory requirements were not complied with.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was ‘good’ (published 20 December 2020).

Why we inspected

We carried out an unannounced inspection to follow up on concerns we had received in relation to the provision of care that was being delivered. The information The Care Quality Commission (CQC) received indicated that there were concerns around IPC, staffing, safe care and treatment and good governance. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe, effective and well-led only.

We reviewed the information we held about the service. No areas of concern were identified in the other key questions. We therefore did not inspect them. Ratings from previous comprehensive inspections for those key questions were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection.

We looked at IPC measures under the ‘safe’ key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to coronavirus and other infection outbreaks effectively.

The overall rating for the service has deteriorated to ‘inadequate’. This is based on the findings at this inspection. We found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Orchard Residential Care Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Enforcement

We are mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when considering what enforcement action was necessary and proportionate to keep people safe as a result of this inspection.

We have identified breaches in relation to safe care and treatment, staffing, fit and proper persons employed and good governance. Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Full information about CQC’s regulatory response to the more serious concerns found during inspections is added to reports after any representations and appeals have been concluded.

Follow up

We will meet with the provider following the publication of this report to discuss how they will make changes to ensure they improve their rating to at least ‘good’, we will request an action plan to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety and we will work with the local authority to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

Special Measures

The overall rating for this service is ‘Inadequate’ and the service is therefore in ‘special measures’. This means we will keep the service under review and, if we do not propose to cancel the provider’s registration, we will re-inspect within 6 months to check for significant improvements.

If the provider has not made enough improvement within this timeframe. And there is still a rating of inadequate for any key question or overall rating, we will take action in line with our enforcement procedures. This will mean we will begin the process of preventing the provider from operating this service. This will usually lead to cancellation of their registration or to varying the conditions the registration.

For adult social care services, the maximum time for being in special measures will usually be no more than 12 months. If the service has demonstrated improvements when we inspect it and it is no longer rated as inadequate for any of the five key questions it will no longer be in special measures.

1 December 2020

During an inspection looking at part of the service

About the service

Orchard Residential is registered to provide residential care to up to 26 older people and those living with dementia. At the time of our inspection 26 people were living at the service.

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

At our last inspection the provider had failed to robustly assess the risks relating to the health safety and welfare of people. We also found governance systems were not effective at ensuring regulations were met. Enough improvement had been made at this inspection and the provider was no longer in breach of Regulations.

Risks relating to the environment, infection-control and the care needs of people were safely managed. Action to reduce risk had been taken in response to any accidents and incidents. People received their medicines as prescribed by competent staff. Medicines were stored and recorded in line with national guidance and best practice. People spoke positively about the safety of the care provided at Orchard Residential. Staff understood their responsibility to report anything of concern and had done so in accordance with the relevant guidance. Staff were safely recruited subject to the relevant checks and deployed in sufficient numbers to meet people’s care needs.

Following the last inspection, the service had improved systems to monitor, assess and improve the safety and quality of care being provided. Staff demonstrated kindness and respect in their interactions with people. It was clear they knew people well and provided care in an individualised manner. Staff and relatives spoke positively about the level of communication from managers at the service. People had been provided with information regarding COVID-19 and changes that were being implemented to keep people safe. Referrals to other health services were managed well and appropriately followed up on. For example, where people did not meet the criteria for specialist support, staff engaged with GP’s to ensure health conditions were managed in the person’s best-interests.

Rating at last inspection and update

At the last inspection the service was rated requires improvement (report published 22 November 2019).

During the last inspection we found a breach of Regulation 17 of The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve.

At this inspection enough improvement had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about infection control. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks. We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to coronavirus and other infection outbreaks effectively.

We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection of this service on 19 and 2 September and 4 November 2019. A breach of legal requirements was found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve good governance.

We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions Safe and Well-led which contain those requirements.

The ratings from the previous comprehensive inspection for those key questions not looked at on this occasion were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection. The overall rating for the service has improved to Good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Orchard Residential on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

19 September 2019

During a routine inspection

About the service

Orchard Residential accommodates up to 26 people who require personal care. At the time of the inspection there were 21 people using the service.

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

People's health and safety was placed at risk. Kitchens, food serving areas and mobility aids such as wheelchairs and sensor mats were unclean increasing the risk of the spread of infection.

The systems in place for monitoring the quality and safety of the service were not always effective in identifying and mitigating risks to people. Some audits carried out did not always accurately reflect the findings and where audits had identified risks to people’s health and safety they were not mitigated in a timely way.

Staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding people from abuse and the risk of abuse. Safe recruitment processes were followed. Learning took place from accidents and incidents.

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’s needs were assessed to make sure they could be met at the service. People received effective care and support by the right amount of staff who had received training and support relevant to their roles.

People were treated with kindness and their dignity, privacy and independence was promoted and respected. Staff responded sensitively to people’s emotional needs. People and their family members were given opportunities to express their views about the care provided. Personal information about people was treated in confidence.

People received personalised care and support in line with their choice and preference. People were offered a variety of activities to meet their needs. People and others were provided with Information about how to make a complaint and they were confident about complaining should they need to.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was good (published May 2017). We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the safe and well-led sections of this full report.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

5 April 2017

During a routine inspection

This inspection was carried out on 05 and 10 April 2017 and the first day was unannounced.

Orchard Residential is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 26 people. The service is located in the Huyton area of Liverpool, close to local shops and road links. There were 23 people using the service at the time of this inspection.

The service has a registered manager who was registered with the Care Quality Commission in October 2010. 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.

The last inspection of the service was carried out on 15 September 2015 and we found that the service was not meeting all the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations. The registered provider sent us an action plan following the last inspection detailing how and when they intended to make the improvements in relation to good governance. During this inspection we found that the required improvements had been made.

Checks on the quality and safety of the service had improved making them more effective. Checks were carried out as required on things such as care records, infection control, medication and the environment. Action plans were put in place to address improvements identified and they detailed who was responsible for following up on the action and the timescales for completion.

People received their medication on time by staff who had received the appropriate training and competency checks. Medication was stored safely and records of medication were appropriately completed. Protocols for the use of PRN medication, medicines to be taken ‘when required’, were in place and staff followed instructions given by GPs for its use.

Staff had undertaken safeguarding training and they were confident about recognising and reporting actual abuse or suspected abuse. The registered manager and other senior staff were aware of their responsibilities to report abuse to relevant agencies.

There were sufficient numbers of suitably skilled and qualified staff to keep people safe. All staff had completed training in emergency procedures and they were aware of their responsibilities for keeping people safe.

The procedure for recruiting staff was safe and thorough. Applicants were required to provide information about their previous employment history, skills and experience. A series of pre-employment checks including a check with the Disclosure and Barring service (DBS) were obtained before employment was confirmed.

The registered manager and staff had good knowledge and understanding of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and their roles and responsibilities linked to this. The registered manager worked alongside family members and relevant health and social care professionals to ensure decisions were made in people’s best interests when this was required.

People’s nutritional and hydration needs were assessed and planned for and staff had a good understanding of them. People received the support and assistance they needed to eat and drink, and those who needed it had their food and fluid intake monitored to help minimise the risk of malnutrition and dehydration. Menus did not reflect healthy food options which people were offered and they lacked some variety. However following the inspection we were assured that menus were being revised.

Care plans identified people’s needs and any associated risks, and they instructed staff on how to meet them. Care plans were kept under review so that they remained relevant and up to date. Communication amongst the staff helped to ensure that people received consistent and effective care and support.

Staff received an appropriate level of supervision and training for the roles and to enable them to meet people’s needs. New staff completed a period of induction and training was ongoing for all staff. One to one supervisions and group meetings which took place provided staff with an opportunity to discuss matters relating to their work and any training and development needs.

The registered manager was described as being approachable, supportive and caring towards people who used the service and family members. There was an open door policy operated at the service which enabled people to speak openly and in confidence with the registered manager. People were provided with information about how to complain and they said they were confident about complaining should they need to.

15 September 2015

During a routine inspection

This was an unannounced inspection, carried out on 15 September 2015.

Orchard Residential is a care home for up to 26 people who require personal care. It is a converted building located in a residential area of Huyton near Liverpool, with access to public transport and local shops. Garden areas and a car park are available directly outside.

The service has 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.

The last inspection of Orchard Residential was carried out in May 2013 and we found that the service was meeting all of the regulations we assessed.

At this inspection we found there was a breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.

Improvements were required to ensure people’s safety. People’s safety was put at risk because pull cords for activating call bells were tied up out of reach in toilets and bathrooms. Following a discussion with the manager during our inspection, a check was carried out on all call bells across the service to ensure they were fully accessible to people.

Some parts of the service and equipment used to help people with their mobility were unclean, increasing the risk of the spread of infection. Following a discussion with the manager during our inspection, a deep clean of areas which were unclean was carried out at the time of our inspection.

Staff told us that they felt well supported in their role on a day to day basis; however they had not been formally supervised in line with the registered provider’s staff supervision policy which stated all employees should receive formal supervision at three monthly intervals. Over half of the staff team had not received a formal one to one supervision for more than a year. This meant that staff were not given the opportunity to discuss formally their personal objectives, performance, training and development needs.

People were not always treated in a way which was dignified and person centred. Staff referred to people in groups rather than as individuals. Staff assumed it was appropriate to serve people their meals and drinks using plastic tableware without taking account of their individual needs. We discussed this with the registered manager during the inspection and she confirmed that she would address this.

Although the registered provider had systems in place for checking the quality of the service they were not always effective as they failed to identify a safe environment for people who used the service. The registered provider failed to address concerns about people’s safety despite previously being made aware of them.

There were safe systems in place for the management of people’s medicines. They were stored in an area which was secure, clean and well organised and they were handled by staff who had undertaken medication training. People received their medication on time and appropriate records were completed for the administration, receipt and destruction of medicines at the service.

Staff had access to information and guidance about safeguarding procedures and they were confident about recognising abuse or potential abuse and reporting any concerns they had. People who used the service told us they felt safe and that they had a lot of trust in the staff.

Processes for recruiting staff at the service were thorough and safe. Applicants were subject to a range of checks prior to starting work at the service; including a check with the Disclosure and Barring Scheme (DBS). These checks helped the registered provider to determine if the applicant was suitability qualified, skilled and experienced for the job and of good character.

The CQC is required by law to monitor the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and to report on what we find. We saw that there were policies and procedures in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and DoLS to ensure that people who could not make decisions for themselves were protected. Appropriate safeguards were put in place for people who did not have the ability to make decisions about aspects of their care and support.

People were provided with a choice of food and drink. People who needed it had their food and fluid intake closely monitored and they received assistance to eat and drink. Appropriate referrals were made to dieticians and nutritionists and staff acted upon their advice and guidance to ensure people received the support they needed to maintain a healthy diet.

People’s needs were assessed, planned for and regularly reviewed with their involvement. Relevant others such as family members and other health and social care professionals were consulted required. People received the right care and support by staff who knew them well.

People who used the service and relevant others were provided with information about how to complain and they told us they would not be worried about complaining if they needed to. People were confident that their complaints would be listened to and acted upon. A record of complaints was maintained and this showed people’s complaints had been acknowledged and dealt with in a timely way.

1 May 2013

During a routine inspection

We spoke with four people who used the service and also spoke to their relatives. People told us they had made decisions about their care and treatment and they told us they had received the right care and support.

Each person had a care plan with up to date information about the care and support they

needed and they told us that they were happy with the care they received. They also told us that they felt safe living at the home and they knew who to tell if they were unhappy with anything. Their comments included:

'There is nothing to find fault with any of them".

"Staff are always available to help".

"The staff are excellent".

"They get everything right'.

We found the home to be clean and regular checks had been carried out to ensure the

required standards of cleanliness and infection control. We also found that the relevant checks were made on staff working in the home.

18 July 2012

During a routine inspection

We used a number of different methods to help us understand the experiences of people living at Orchard Residential. This was because some of the people using the service had complex needs which meant they were not able to tell us their experiences. We spoke individually with four of the people living there and with four visitors. We also spent time observing the support provided by staff.

We looked at the results of a resident and relative's questionnaire for 2012.

People using the service told us the care they had received at Orchard Residential had been, 'Very good' and they had been, 'Well looked after'.

People told us that staff had always been polite and respectful towards them. They said staff had always knocked on their bedroom door before entering. One person commented that, 'The staff are all very pleasant'.

People told us they had no concerns about the way they had been treated at the home. They said they would tell somebody if they were unhappy about their treatment.

People said staff were available when they needed them and there had always been enough staff on duty to help them. One person commented, 'Yes the staff are always there to help me when I need them'.

1 February 2012

During a routine inspection

We spoke with four people who lived in the service they told us that the care workers respected their wishes and feelings and treated them with dignity. They said that their requests and preferences were listened to and acted upon.

Some comments made were;

"I'm happy here. The staff are lovely',

"The girls are lovely here can't find a fault. I am happy to stay here. It's not home but it's as good as.".

"I'm well looked after. It's a nice place.",

"The staff are lovely. The home is kept clean and the food is good."

During our visit we saw that care workers were attentive to people who lived in the service.

Relatives spoken with told us that they found the care workers were friendly and helpful. They told us that the environment was clean and looked nice. They were contacted if issues occurred with their relatives such as a doctor's appointment.

Comments included,

"Its very nice my mother is really happy, she has got so much better since she got here",

'I am so happy that he lives there",

"Can not fault it, they look after her so well",

"My mother is loved, what more can I ask?".