Bishopstoke Park's rating dropped from Good to Requires Improvement following a focused inspection of safe and well-led, with concerns about staffing deployment particularly in evenings, unclear medicines policy, gaps in mandatory training and weak governance/audit systems. A new manager was working through an action plan, and people and relatives gave positive feedback about the dedication and flexibility of care staff.
Concerns (9)
moderateStaffing levels: “Evenings are particularly difficult, though it works there is no back up if something goes wrong.”
moderateMedication management: “Staff were not always clear about what the provider's policy was regarding people's medicines.”
moderate
Governance
: “Robust systems and governance had not been in place. For example, there had been a lack of formal review processes and audits”
moderateStaff training: “two thirds of staff were not up to date with training in moving and handling people and half of staff were not up to date with health and safety training.”
moderateSupervision / appraisal: “Staff told us they had not had yearly appraisals but that the new manager was 'taking an interest in staff' and 'sorting this out.'”
moderateLeadership: “Staff told us they did not always feel they were getting clarity and support from the management team.”
moderatePerson-centred care: “the service was not always able to meet people's preferences for male or female carers. They told us there were no agreements in relation to this in people's care plans.”
minorRecord keeping: “During the first day of our inspection, staff recruitment records were incomplete.”
minorCommunication with families: “few lack of communication with times etc.”
Strengths
· Staff had received training in safe handling of medicines and competency assessments to administer them
· Safe recruitment practices including DBS checks were followed before new staff were employed
· Staff demonstrated a good understanding of infection control procedures and had received training
· Risk assessments covered home environment, food preparation, personal care and mobility, with care plans setting out how risks were minimised
· Staff had a good understanding of safeguarding and were confident to use whistle-blowing procedures
Quality-Statement breakdown (11)
safe: Staffing and recruitmentNot rated
safe: Using medicines safelyNot rated
safe: Systems and processes to safeguard people from the risk of abuseNot rated
safe: Assessing risk, safety monitoring and managementNot rated
safe: Preventing and controlling infectionNot rated
safe: Learning lessons when things go wrongNot rated
well-led: Managers and staff being clear about their roles, and understanding quality performance, risks and regulatory requirementsNot rated
well-led: Promoting a positive culture that is person-centred, open, inclusive and empoweringNot rated
well-led: Engaging and involving people using the service, the public and staffNot rated
well-led: Continuous learning and improving careNot rated
well-led: Working in partnership with othersNot rated