19, 20 and 26 November 2014
During a routine inspection
Holywell Dene Care Home is a care home providing care to a maximum of 48 older people, some of whom have needs associated with dementia. 39 people were living at the service at the time of our visits. One person had been admitted for short term care. Nursing care is not provided. The accommodation is provided across three floors. The home had a registered manager who was on long term leave at the time of the inspection. A temporary manager was in charge of the home.
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.
This inspection took place on 19, 20 and 26 November 2014 and was unannounced. There were 39 people living at the service at the time of our inspection. People’s accommodation was spread across three floors. Kitchen and laundry services were located in the basement level. The service provided care to older people, some of whom were living with dementia. People living with dementia were accommodated on all three floors.
We last inspected Holywell Dene Care Home on 28 October 2013. At this inspection we found the service was meeting all the essential standards we assessed.
We found people were safe at the service. The building was clean and well maintained, no trip hazards were noted, risks were assessed and staff were trained in safety, emergency and safeguarding procedures. The service had sufficient staff on duty. Staff recruitment, staff disciplinary processes and the arrangements for managing medicines ensured, as far as possible, people were protected from harm.
People told us that they, and their families, had been included in planning and agreeing to the care provided. We saw that people had an individual plan, detailing the support they needed and how they wanted this to be provided. We found people’s support was provided as detailed in their care plans and people’s needs had been thoroughly assessed. This meant people receive support in the way they needed it.
The staff on duty knew the people they were supporting and the choices they had made about their care and their lives. Most people were supported to maintain their independence and control over their lives but one person commented that their independence was restricted due to the security of the building. This was because they felt capable of going in the garden themselves but needed staff to operate the security key pad.
People were treated with kindness and respect. They were afforded choices with regard to activities and getting out and about, though we found the menus rather restrictive. Arrangements for special diets, support with eating and presentation of food were satisfactory.
The provider monitored the service well through a combination of audits carried out by the staff at the service, quality assurance visits by the provider’s representatives, gathering of data from the service and use of surveys. We received positive comments about the temporary manager.