This inspection took place on the 4 November 2014 and was unannounced.
Horse Fair Care home provides accommodation and personal care to up to 72 people, some of whom may be living with dementia.
The home 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 registered manager was not available on the day of the inspection.
At our previous inspection in May 2014 we found the provider had insufficient staff to keep people safe. At this inspection we found that improvements had been made. New staff had been recruited and there was sufficient staff to meet the individual needs of people who used the service.
People were safe. Staff knew what constituted abuse and reported it appropriately through the provider’s and local authority safeguarding procedures.
Risk assessments were in place which supported people to remain safe whilst remaining as independent as they were able to be.
Recruitment processes were robust and ensured that prospective staff were fit to work.
Medicines were stored and managed safely. People had their medication at the prescribed times.
Staff had received training and supervision to ensure they were effective in their roles. New staff had a period of induction to ensure they were competent.
The provider recognised the requirement to work within the guidelines of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty safeguards (DoLS). Referrals were in the process of being made for people who may have been restricted of their liberty.
People had a healthy choice of food. When people required more support to meet their nutritional needs, plans were put in place to monitor and ensure that people received adequate food and fluids, however people living with dementia would have benefited from having their individual needs assessed.
People’s health care needs were met. Records showed that people were supported to see a health care professional when they became unwell or their needs changed.
From our observations and talking to people who used the service, people were treated with dignity and respect. Interactions between staff and people were kind and compassionate.
People and their relatives were fully involved in their own care planning. Where able people had signed their own care plans.
Activities were on offer to support people to participate in their hobbies and interests
People knew how to complain if they were not happy with the service they received. Contact numbers for other support agencies were readily available in the living areas.
Resident, staff and relative meetings took place on a regular basis. Minutes were recorded and we saw examples of where action had been taken when suggestions had been made at the residents meetings.
Staff told us that they felt supported by the management. The registered manager had been absent for some time and the deputy manager was acting as manager. Staff told us that this had not affected the running of the home and they continued to deliver good quality care.
The provider kept us informed of any significant incidents and had systems in place to monitor the quality of care being delivered.