Park View Care Home is purpose built and registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 60 older people, some of whom are living with dementia. The home is located in a residential area with access to public services and amenities.

There was a manager at the service who was registered with CQC. 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.

Our last inspection at Park View took place on 9 February 2015. We found a breach in the regulations of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, in regard to regulation 18; Staffing. The registered provider sent an action plan detailing how they were going to make improvements. At this inspection we checked improvements the registered provider had made. We found sufficient improvements had been made to meet the requirements of Regulation 18: Staffing, as staff had been provided with training, supervisions and appraisals at the frequency set out in the registered provider’s policy. Whilst staff verbally confirmed they had been provided with supervision, we found some supervisions had not been formally recorded to fully evidence they had taken place.

This inspection took place on 8 March 2017 and was unannounced. This meant the people who lived at Park View and the staff who worked there did not know we were coming. On the day of our inspection there were 58 people living at Park View.

People living at Park View and their relatives spoken with were positive about their experience of living at or visiting Park View. They told us they, or their family member, felt safe and they liked the staff.

We found systems were in place to make sure people received their medicines safely so their health was looked after.

Staff recruitment procedures ensured people’s safety was promoted.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the registered provider’s policies and systems supported this practice.

People had access to a range of health care professionals to help maintain their health. A varied diet was provided, which took into account dietary needs and preferences so people’s health was promoted and choices could be respected.

Staff knew people well and positive, caring relationships had been developed. People were encouraged to express their views and they were involved in decisions about their care. People’s privacy and dignity were respected and promoted. Staff understood how to support people in a sensitive way.

A programme of activities was in place so people were provided with a range of leisure opportunities.

People said they could speak with staff if they had any worries or concerns and they would be listened to.

There were effective systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service provided. Regular checks and audits were undertaken to make sure full and safe procedures were adhered to.

Park View Care Home is purpose built and registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 60 older people, some of whom are living with dementia. Accommodation is provided over two floors. A passenger lift is available and all areas of the home are accessible. All of the bedrooms are single and have en-suite toilets and showers. Each floor provides communal lounges and dining rooms. The home has an enclosed garden and a car park.

There was a manager at the service who was registered with CQC. 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.

Our last inspection at Park View Care Home took place on 27 June 2013. The home was found to be meeting the requirements of the regulations we inspected at that time.

This inspection took place on 9 February 2015 and was unannounced, which meant the service did not know we would be visiting. On the day of our inspection there were 54 people living at Park View Care Home.

People told us they were well cared for by staff that knew them well, and they felt safe. Every person spoken with told us they were ‘happy’ living at Park View Care Home.

Relatives told us they had no worries or concerns about the care provided.

We found systems were in place to make sure people received their medication safely.

Staff were provided with relevant induction and some training to make sure they had the right skills and knowledge for their role. Staff understood their role and what was expected of them. The service followed the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of practice and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. However, staff were not provided with training in this area and showed a lack of understanding regarding the MCA. This did not help to protect the rights of people who may not be able to make important decisions themselves.

Staff had not received supervision in line with the service’s own procedure.

People had access to a range of health care professionals to help maintain their health. A varied and nutritious diet was provided to people that took into account dietary needs and preferences so that health was promoted and choices could be respected.

People living at the home, and their relatives said that they could speak with staff if they had any worries or concerns and they would be listened to.

We saw people participated in a range of daily activities both in and outside of the home which were meaningful and promoted independence.

There were effective systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service provided. Regular checks and audits were undertaken to make sure full and safe procedures were adhered to. People using the service and their relatives had been asked their opinion via surveys, the results of these had been audited to identify any areas for improvement.

We found one breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.

People’s needs were assessed and care was planned in line with their individual needs. People and their representatives were involved in the planning of their care and the subsequent reviews. One relative said “We are always invited by staff and if we weren’t able to attend they let us know what happened at the review.”

Health, safety and welfare of people were protected when outside agencies were involved in their care and treatment. This was because the provider worked in co-operation with other professionals.

People were protected from the risk of infection because appropriate guidance had been followed by staff at the home. We noticed staff using personal protective equipment (PPE) appropriately. Two relatives said when they visited the home; it always looked clean and smelt fresh.

People were protected against the risks associated with medicines because appropriate arrangements were in place. Staff dealing with medicine had completed training and refresher courses to ensure competence.

There was an effective recruitment and selection policy in place. The manager had followed the company policy correctly when recruiting staff.

People we spoke with said that if they had a complaint they would talk to any member of staff or the manager. They said they felt confident that it would be “sorted out”. No one expressed any concerns about raising complaints. One person said “Well, I could tell anyone, and they’d sort it out, but I haven’t got any complaints”.

People with dementia are not always able to tell us about their experiences, so we have used a formal way to observe people in this inspection to help us understand. We call this the ‘Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). This involved us observing people who use services for a period of time and recording their experiences at regular intervals. This includes people’s mood, and how they interacted with staff members, other people who use services, visitors and the environment.

Those who were able to communicate with us made the following comments to say how they felt about the service they received and the staff who cared for them.

“They are lovely here.” “The food is lovely can’t complain.”

“I can have what I want at meal times. I don’t like too much food on my plate. The care staff are good.”

“I am very happy here. I can go to the shops if I want.”

“We have activities and if we want we can join in. I would rather watch them dance than to join in.”

People made positive comments about the staff attitude and the care they received.