Abbotts Barton is registered to provide accommodation and support for 60 older people who may require nursing care, who may also be living with dementia. The home provides long stay or short stay nursing care. The home was purpose built with accommodation on two floors and a passenger lift for access. The home has a range of lounges, dining areas and gardens.
We undertook an unannounced inspection of Abbotts Barton on 8 and 9 December 2014. This inspection was completed to check that improvements to meet legal requirements planned by the provider after our inspection on 24 September 2013 had been made. This is because the service was not meeting some relevant legal requirements.
At our previous inspection in September 2013 we asked the provider to take action to make improvements in respect of staffing levels. Following our inspection the provider sent us an action plan detailing the improvements they would make. At this inspection we found improvements had been made.
On the day of our visit 58 people were living at the home.
A registered manager was not in place. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. The day to day management of the home was being overseen by an acting manager and the providers operations and quality assurance managers.
Staff understood the needs of the people and care was provided with kindness and compassion. People, relatives and health and social care professionals told us they were very happy with the care and described the service as excellent. One health care professional said, “I have no concerns at all over the welfare of people living at Abbotts Barton”. People were supported to take part in activities they had chosen. One person said, “I can do whatever I want here. The staff are lovely people and work hard”.
Staff were appropriately trained and skilled and provided care in a safe environment. They all received a thorough induction when they started work at Abbotts Barton and fully understood their roles and responsibilities. Staff completed training to ensure the care delivered to people was safe and effective.
The acting manager assessed and monitored the quality of care consistently involving people, relatives and professionals. Care plans were reviewed regularly and people’s support was personalised and tailored to their individual needs. Each person and every relative told us they were continually asked for feedback and encouraged to voice their opinions about the quality of care provided.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which applies to care homes. Whilst no-one living at the home was currently subject to a DoLS, we found that the acting manager understood when an application should be made and how to submit one.
Where people lacked the mental capacity to make decisions the home was guided by the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 to ensure any decisions were made in the person’s best interests
Referrals to health care professionals were made quickly when people became unwell. Each health care professional told us staff were responsive to people’s changing health needs. One health care professional said staff, “Always contact us if they are unsure or need advice”.
Staff spoke with people in a friendly and respectful manner. The service had a personalised culture and people told us they were encouraged to raise any concerns about possible abuse. One member of staff said, “The home is managed well. If we have concerns we can speak to the acting manager about them”.