20 November 2019
During a routine inspection
Cecil Gardens is an extra care housing complex providing 95 individual flats. Not everyone living there receives a regulated activity. The service can provide care and support to people living with dementia, learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder, mental health, older people, younger adults, people who misuse drugs and alcohol, people with physical disabilities and people with sensory impairment.
The Care Quality Commission only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’, for example, help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of the inspection, 68 people were receiving the regulated activity of personal care. There were also 94 people who lived in the surrounding area who also received calls for personal care from Hales Group Limited.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Since the last inspection, there had been improvements in medicines management, record keeping and quality monitoring. The quality of care records in relation to risk, consent and daily recordings had improved. Where people required support with their medicines this was managed safely; the number of medicine errors had significantly reduced.
The provider’s quality monitoring system had improved. Audits, surveys and meetings were completed, and shortfalls addressed. All feedback was used to make continuous improvements to the service.
Staff were recruited safely. There were enough staff to complete the care calls. Most people confirmed they received care at their preferred times from their regular care staff, but at times some people had not received care from a consistent group of staff. We have made a recommendation about this.
People were supported to remain independent and access local activities within the community. People told us staff respected their privacy, although one person raised issues around staff access to their apartment, which we have passed to the registered manager to follow up.
People and relatives said the service was safe. They were supported by staff with the skills and knowledge to meet their needs. Staff had regular training and felt confident in their role. Risks to people’s health and wellbeing were assessed and mitigated. Where required, people had access to appropriate equipment and were supported to ensure their homes remained safe.
People were supported to maintain a healthy diet when this was part of their care plan. The registered manager had developed positive links with health care professionals which promoted people’s wellbeing.
People and family members told us staff were kind and caring and they felt at ease with them.
People felt listened to and told us staff had time to sit and chat with them. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and update
The last rating and update for this service was requires improvement (published 23 November 2018). At the time, there were concerns with safe administration of medicines, records and ensuring a good quality assurance system.
The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection, we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.