Park House

Updated 2 April 2021

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.

As part of CQC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at the preparedness of care homes in relation to infection prevention and control. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 18 March 2021 and was announced.

Updated 2 April 2021

About the service

Park House is a residential care home providing personal care to 22 people at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 26 people. The home can accommodate both younger and older people and accommodation is in an adapted period building over two floors.

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

People, and their relatives, consistently told us they received a high-quality service at Park House and that they would recommend it. One person who used the service said, “I think it’s very good here. From my point of view, the home looks after people well.” Staff at all levels demonstrated an exceptionally caring approach that made people feel safe, comforted and valued. People told us they were listened to, involved in all decisions and respected. One relative who provided us with feedback said, “[Family member] is very fond of the staff, they show great affection towards them and always have time for them.” Another relative told us, “We couldn’t be happier with Park House and all the wonderful staff, from the managers to the cleaners to the maintenance staff. I know that if the care was not so attentive, [family member] would not still be with us.”

The service assessed people’s needs holistically and with their full involvement and care plans were designed to meet those needs. Care plans were individual to each person and reviewed on a regular basis. Staff knew people’s needs and preferences well resulting in a tailored service. The service understood the importance of meeting people’s leisure and social needs and had invested resources into this meaning a full and varied activities programme was available. People’s consent was sought consistently, and people were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives. Staff supported people in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff had been safely recruited and the people who used the service had been involved in this process. People told us there were enough staff to meet their needs although some said there were busy periods where staff were not so available. The risks to people, visitors and staff had been identified and mitigated. This included those in relation to specific health conditions, environmental factors and those associated with working practices. Procedures were in place to help protect people from the risk of abuse and infection.

People received their medicines safely and as prescribed and their health needs were met. People told us they enjoyed the food provided, that they had choice and plenty to eat and drink. When accidents occurred, these were assessed to prevent reoccurrence and help protect people from harm. People told us they had no need to complain but would feel comfortable in doing so should the need arise; a policy was in place to manage any such complaints. Where people had specific communication needs, these were met on an individual basis.

All the people we spoke with talked highly of the staff and management team that supported them. They told us they had confidence in them, that they were well trained and knew them well. Staff agreed that they were well supported and felt valued. This had resulted in a positive, encouraging and supportive culture which benefited all. People, staff and visitors supported one another, and mutual respect was evident. The management team demonstrated a commitment to the service and procedures were in place to monitor and improve the service. They welcomed suggestions and opened the home to several other organisations to forge relationships that benefited those that lived there.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (report published 8 November 2016)

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.