All inspections: Priory House - Care Quality Commission

Priory House is a residential care home for up to 28 adults some of whom may be living with dementia. The service provides 20 permanent beds, two respite (short break) beds and six rehabilitation beds (for up to two weeks after discharge from hospital). When we inspected there were 24 people living in the service of which two were on respite and five were there for rehabilitation.

At the last inspection, the service was rated good and at this inspection we found the service remains good.

There was a registered manager in post. 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.

People received a safe service and were protected from the risk of harm. There were enough staff that had been safely recruited to help keep people safe and to meet their needs. People received their medication as prescribed.

People were cared for by supported, experienced and trained staff. The service ensured that people had the support they needed to have as much choice and control over their lives in the least restrictive way possible. People received sufficient food and drink to meet their needs and preferences and their healthcare needs were met.

Staff knew the people they cared for well and were kind, caring and compassionate in their approach. People were encouraged and supported to remain as independent as possible. Staff ensured that people were treated with dignity and respect and their privacy was maintained at all times.

People were fully involved in the assessment and care planning process. Their care plans had been regularly reviewed to reflect their changing needs. People were encouraged and supported to participate in a range of activities to suit their individual interests. Complaints were dealt with appropriately in a timely way.

People were positive about the quality of the service. The registered manager and staff were committed to providing people with good quality person centred care that met their needs and preferences. There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and to drive improvements. The service met all relevant fundamental standards.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

This inspection took place on 16 and 27 November 2015.

Priory House is registered to provide accommodation and care for up to 28 people some of whom may be living with dementia, and it also provides a respite (short stay) service. There were 24 people living in the service of which 19 were permanent and five were on either planned or emergency respite stays at the time of our inspection.

There was a registered manager in post. 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.

People received their care and support in a way that ensured their safety and welfare. Staff had been safely recruited, trained and supported. There were sufficient numbers of staff to meet people’s assessed needs. People received their medication as prescribed and there were safe systems in place for receiving, administering and disposing of medicines.

The registered manager and staff demonstrated a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and had made appropriate applications when needed.

Staff knew how to protect people from the risk of harm. They had been trained and had access to guidance and information to support them with the process. Risks to people’s health and safety had been assessed and the service had care plans and risk assessments in place to ensure people were cared for safely.

People were supported to have sufficient amounts of food and drink to meet their needs. People’s care needs had been assessed and catered for. The care plans provided staff with sufficient information about how to meet people’s individual needs and preferences and how to care for them safely. The service monitored people’s healthcare needs and sought advice and guidance from healthcare professionals when needed.

Staff knew people well and they were kind, caring and compassionate and they ensured that people’s privacy and dignity was maintained at all times. People participated in activities of their choosing and were able to express their views and opinions. Families and friends were made to feel welcome and people were able to receive their visitors at a time of their choosing.

People knew how to raise a concern or complaint and were confident that any concerns would be listened to and acted upon.

There was an effective system in place to assess and monitor the quality of the service and to drive improvements.

We last inspected Priory House in September 2012 when we found them to be non-compliant in the following essential standards: Management of medicines, supporting workers and records. We received an action plan from the service informing us that they would be compliant by December 2012.

We visited the service in June 2013 and found that there had been improvements made to their medication systems and audits, staff training and to their records. We spoke with many of the people who use the service and to one of their visiting relatives. They were all very positive about the service provided at Priory House. One person said, 'Excellent service, staff are marvellous and the food is really good here.' Staff told us that the training was good and that they were well supported by the manager.

We spoke to people using the service but their feedback did not relate to these standards. We found that further improvements were required by the provider to ensure that appropriate arrangements were in place for the safe storage and recording of medicines and that sufficient guidance for staff on the use of some medicines were recorded. We also found that documentary evidence to show that suitable arrangements were in place for staff to receive appropriate training required further development. While some improvements were noted in relation to peoples' care plan records, further amendments to peoples' records were required so as to ensure they were accurate and fit for purpose.

Where people were unable to provide a verbal response or tell us verbally their experiences, for example, as a result of their limited verbal communication or poor cognitive ability, we noted their non verbal cues and these indicated that the majority of people were relaxed and comfortable and found their experience at the home to be positive. We spoke with four people who use the service and they told us that they liked living at the home and found the staff to be kind and caring.

Relatives confirmed that they found the home to be well managed, with staff supportive and caring. Four relatives spoken with told us that they were very happy with the care and support provided for their loved one and that the standard of care provided at Priory House was 'very high.' Relatives told us that they were always kept informed about what was happening with their loved ones care and healthcare needs. They also told us that they felt that the atmosphere within the home was warm and welcoming and that there was positive communication and interaction between staff and people who use the service.

People told us that they were treated well by care staff and that their privacy and dignity were respected.

The manager told us that 'satisfaction surveys' were sent out to all relatives in November 2011. The comments provided were very positive and suggested that people who use the service and their relatives were very happy with the quality of care provided. Comments included 'You cannot fault the staff at Priory House, they are so kind to all the residents and visitors and they cannot do enough for you. The home is always spotless clean and there are always refreshments available for everyone. This is a home to be proud of' and 'By far this is the best home in Essex.'

These older reports are from our old approaches to inspection, including those from before CQC was created.

Archived: Priory House

All Inspections

8 May 2017

During a routine inspection

16 and 27 November 2015

During a routine inspection

6 June 2013

During a routine inspection

12 September 2012

During an inspection looking at part of the service

22 June 2012

During a routine inspection

Reports under our old system of regulation