This inspection took place on 11 and 13 October 2016 and was unannounced. Abbey Dean is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 18 older people, some of whom lived with dementia. At the time of this inspection there were 17 people accommodated.
A registered manager was in post when we visited. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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 registered manager was present during our visit.
This is the first inspection of this service since the current provider was registered in August 2014.
The registered manager and staff understood their role in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and how the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) should be put into practice. These safeguards protect the rights of people by ensuring, if there are any restrictions to their freedom and liberty, these have been authorised. 10 of the 17 people accommodated lacked capacity to make decisions for themselves. Appropriate steps had been taken to ensure decisions made on their behalf were in their best interests. DoLS authorisation applications had been made on behalf of all 10 people, of which one had been granted. However, a DoLS authorisation for one person had expired but had not be renewed, even though care reviews indicated there had been no change to their circumstances.
Staff confirmed they had been trained in how to identify and report any incidents of abuse they may witness.
Any potential risks to individual people had been identified and appropriately managed.
Care plans had been drawn up with the involvement of people or their relatives to ensure they included people’s preferences and wishes with regard to how they wanted their care to be delivered.
People’s medicines had been administered and managed safely.
There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty with the necessary skills and experience to meet people’s needs. They had received appropriate training and support to enable them to deliver the care people required.
Staff supported people to eat and drink if required. They ensured people at potential risk received adequate nutrition and hydration.
People were provided with support to access health care services in order to meet their needs.
Positive, caring relationships had been developed with staff to ensure people received the support they needed. They were encouraged to express their views and to be actively involved in making decisions about the support they received to maintain the lifestyle they had chosen. Appropriate activities had been provided to meet people’s social needs
The culture of the service was open, transparent and supportive. People and their relatives were encouraged to express their views and make suggestions so they may be used by the provider to make improvements.
Systems were place which enabled the provider to monitor the service and the quality of the care delivered.
We found one breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can see what action we have told the provider to take at the back of the full version of this report.