Archived: Everycare@Montgomery Court

Updated 22 August 2017

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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 06 July 2017 and was announced. We announced the inspection with 48 hours’ notice as this is a domiciliary service and we needed the manager to be available. The inspection team consisted of one inspector and one expert by experience. The expert-by-experience had a background in caring for elderly people.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We looked at previous inspection reports and notifications about important events that had taken place at the service, which the provider is required to tell us by law.

We spoke with four people and one relative about their experience of the service. We sent 68 pre-inspection feedback questionnaires to people, their relatives and friends. We spoke with four staff including the registered manager, the deputy manager and two support workers. We asked seven health and social care professionals for their views of the service.

We spent time looking at records, policies and procedures, complaints and incident and accident monitoring systems. We looked at five people’s care files, four staff record files, the staff training programme, the staff rota and medicine records.

The service had been registered with us since 15 July 2016. This was the first inspection carried out on the service to check that it was safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led.

Updated 22 August 2017

The inspection was carried out on 06 July 2017 and was announced.

Montgomery Court is a housing with care (HWC) service for people over the age of 55, with a dedicated Domiciliary Care team on-site. At the time of this inspection personal care was provided to 33 people. Others remained independent. Most people received less than ten hours care a week. The care team assisted people to maintain their independence by helping them with personal care tasks, preparing meals or socialising. This assisted people to maintain their health and wellbeing. The accommodation was modern and over three floors. Each of the flats had its own lounge, kitchen and bathroom facilities. Each flat was fitted with emergency call facilities. For example, a lifeline telephone. A lift was available to take people between floors.

There was a registered manager employed at the service. 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 Care Quality Commission (CQC) monitors the operation of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) Code of Practice. The registered manager understood when the code of practice needed to be used so that decisions people made about their care or medical treatment were dealt with lawfully.

Having access to dedicated staff on-site made people feel safe. Staff were experienced and understood their responsibilities to protect people from harm. Staff had received training about protecting people from abuse. The management team had access to and understood the safeguarding policies of the local authority and followed the safeguarding processes.

The registered manager and care staff used their experience and knowledge of people’s needs to assess how they planned people’s care to maintain their safety, health and wellbeing. Risks were assessed and management plans implemented by staff to protect people from harm.

There were policies and a procedure in place for the safe administration of medicines. Staff followed these policies and had been trained to administer medicines safely.

People had access to GPs and their health and wellbeing was supported by prompt referrals and access to medical care if they became unwell.

Staff provided friendly compassionate care and support. People were involved in how their care was planned and delivered.

The registered manager planned people’s care by assessing their needs and then by asking people if they were happy with the care they received. Staff knew people well and people had been asked about who they were and about their life experiences. Staff upheld people’s right to choose who was involved in their care and people’s right to do things for themselves was respected.

Activities provided people with opportunities to get involved and participate in building new friendships. Community participation was encouraged and supported.

Incidents and accidents were recorded and checked by the registered manager to see what steps could be taken to prevent these happening again. The risks in the service had been assessed and staff understood the actions they needed to take to minimise them.

Managers planned for emergencies, so that should they happen people’s care needs would continue to be met. Emergency life line and staff on call systems were in place. The premises and equipment in the service were well maintained.

Recruitment policies were in place. Safe recruitment practices had been followed before staff started working at the service. The registered manager employed enough staff to meet people’s assessed needs. Staffing levels were kept under constant review as people’s needs changed.

Staff understood the challenges people faced and supported people to maintain their health by ensuring people had enough to eat and drink.

If people complained they were listened to and the registered manager made changes or suggested solutions that people were happy with. The actions taken were fed back to people.

People told us that the service was well led. They told us that managers were approachable and listened to their views. The registered manager understood the balance they needed to achieve by providing and developing the best care packages for people, whilst recognising people’s autonomy, independence and lifestyle choices.