Meadows Court Care Home

Significant improvements had been made since the last inspection and we found people now received safe care and support. The management of risks to people’s health, safety and wellbeing had improved and people were now being supported safely. The environment was now safe and clean. Environmental improvements had been made since the last inspection, including redecoration and dementia friendly signage and improvements were ongoing. Infection control processes now reflected good practice guidance and we found the service to be clean. Medicines management processes were safer and now reflected good practice. Staff recruitment had improved, and the provider now followed safe processes when recruiting new staff, to ensure they were suitable to support people living at the service. Staffing levels were appropriate to meet people’s needs and people were supported by staff who had the knowledge and skills to keep them safe. Staff had completed safeguarding training and knew how protect people from the risk of abuse and avoidable harm. When things went wrong, lessons were learned and shared with staff to help avoid similar incidents taking place again.

People’s needs and risks were assessed, and care plans were created to guide staff about how best to support them. We found some care plans needed reviewing to ensure all areas were up to date and some would benefit from additional information about people’s healthcare needs. Staff knew people well and how to support them in a way which reflected their needs, risks and preferences. Specialist support was requested from community agencies when it was needed. People were encouraged to make decisions about their care when they could. When people lacked the capacity to do this, their relatives were consulted in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). People looked relaxed and comfortable around staff and felt able to ask for support when they needed it.

Significant improvements had been made to management and governance arrangements since the last inspection. Management and the provider were now clear about their roles and responsibilities and the new registered manager in post had implemented improved processes and practices. Regular, effective audits and checks of many aspects of the service were now being completed, which meant that appropriate standards of quality and safety were being maintained. The provider was now more involved in the service and had effective oversight of the care and support being provided. This meant any areas that needed improvement could be identified and addressed quickly. Staff were on board with the changes being made and were aware of the further improvements planned. Their suggestions and concerns were listened to. The service worked well with partnership agencies to ensure people received any additional support they needed.