Stocks Hall Residential Home – Ormskirk provides accommodation on two floors for up to 45 adults, who require help with personal care needs. A dedicated unit is available for those living with dementia. The home is situated in a quiet area of Ormskirk, close to all amenities. Public transport links are within easy reach for access to the surrounding areas. Ample car parking is provided at the front of the building and a pleasant garden area is available to the rear. All bedrooms are of single occupancy and several of these rooms have ensuite facilities. Accessible toilets and bathrooms are located on both floors, as well as comfortable lounges and dining areas.

At the last inspection, the service was rated as good.

At this inspection we found the service remained good.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems of the service supported this practice. However, Mental Capacity Assessments had not always been completed by the home for those who lacked the capacity to make decisions or prior to making applications to deprive someone of their liberty for their own safety. We made a recommendation about this. The registered manager acted quickly to mitigate any risk. She sent us an action plan and copy of the mental capacity assessment document being used at the home.

People were safe using the services of Stocks Hall Residential Home - Ormskirk. The environment was, in general well maintained and good infection control practices had been adopted by the home. Emergency contingency plans had been implemented. Recruitment practices and safeguarding policies helped to protect people from harm. Detailed assessments provided good guidance for staff about how health and social care risks could be minimised.

Personal development for staff was an important aspect of the organisation’s ethos. This was supported by detailed induction programmes, regular supervisions and annual appraisals. A varied training schedule was in place for all those who were employed. This helped to ensure the staff team was knowledgeable, competent and confident to deliver the care and support people needed.

Staff members were kind and caring towards those who used the service. People’s privacy, dignity and independence were consistently promoted. The policies and practices of the home helped to ensure that everyone was treated equally and were afforded the same opportunities. Staff members considered the importance of equality, diversity and human rights.

Complaints were being well managed and people were offered appropriate choices at all times. The plans of care were person centred; providing staff with clear guidance about people’s assessed needs and how these needs were to be best met. This helped to ensure people received the care and support relevant to their individual health and social care needs.

Regular audits, surveys and environmental risk assessments had been conducted, so the quality of service could be closely monitored. Meetings for staff and service users were held at regular intervals. This enabled people to be involved in decisions about how the service was run and supported the staff team to focus on lessons learned.

At this visit we found that the home’s arrangements for handling medicines were safe. Medicines were handled and administered by suitably trained care workers. Regular medicines audits were completed in order that should any shortfalls arise they can be promptly addressed.

We asked if medicines were handled safely. We found that the home’s medicine’s policy was not consistently followed, increasing the risk of errors.

Medicines were administered by suitable trained care workers and medicines were safely stored. But, care plans and risk assessments had not been completed where people had chosen to self-administer medication. And, appropriate arrangements had not been made for the administration and recording of an anticoagulant.

During our visit to this location, we spoke with seven people living at the home and two relatives, who all provided us with positive comments about what life was like at Stocks Hall. They told us people were respected by the staff team and that independence was promoted whenever possible. Those living at the home told us that all their needs were being met by competent staff and that the environment was always clean and hygienic.

Comments included:

"I am being very well looked after. I always get help when I need it."

"I am happy with most things and I'm hard to please. The girls are very nice."

"I couldn't be happier."

"The staff are all very helpful."

We assessed how people's privacy and dignity was being promoted by the staff team and if the needs of those living at the home were being met by suitably appointed staff. We also looked at the cleanliness of the environment and infection control practices, as well as how the quality of service provided was being monitored. We did not find any concerns with the outcomes areas assessed.

During our visit to this location we spoke with eight people living at the home and two relatives, who all provided us with positive comments about what life was like at Stocks Hall. They told us people were respected by the staff team and that independence was promoted whenever possible. Those living at the home told us they felt safe and that all their needs were being met by competent staff.

Comments included:

"The staff are brilliant."

"I don't think you would find a better home than this."

"I am so pleased I moved here. It is just what I needed."

"This is better than a five star hotel. It is first class."

All the people spoken to made positive comments about the service provided. They told us that staff were kind, approachable and listened to their opinions.

During our visit we saw staff talking to people with respect and always in a polite manner. It was evident that individuals were being supported to maintain their independence, although assistance was consistently provided when required.

We saw that people living at the home were being supported to make informed choices, such as what to eat and what to do, as part of day to day life at Stocks Hall. One person living at the home told us, "The staff are marvellous. They are very kind. I am very happy living here" and a relative commented, "Mum gets the best care. We have no worries about this place".

There was a lot of evidence available to show that support and advice was being sought from external professionals when needed and that people's wishes were taken into consideration when making decisions about any health care issues.

Stocks Hall Care Home provides accommodation on two floors for up to 45 adults, who require help with personal care needs. A dedicated unit is available for those living with dementia. The home is situated in a quiet area of Ormskirk, close to all amenities. Ample car parking is provided at the front of the building and a pleasant garden area is available to the rear. All bedrooms are single and several of these rooms have ensuite facilities. Accessible toilets and bathrooms are located on both floors, as well as comfortable lounges and dining areas.

We last inspected this location on 2nd October 2013, when we found the service to be compliant with all regulations we assessed at that time. This unannounced inspection was conducted on 15th April 2015. The registered manager was on duty when we visited Stocks Hall. She had managed the day-to-day operation of the service for three years. 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 of the Health and Social Care Act and associated regulations about how the service is run.

At the time of this inspection there were 36 people who lived at Stocks Hall. We spoke with eight of them and two of their relatives. We asked people for their views about the services and facilities provided. In general, we received positive comments from everyone. We spoke with seven staff members and the registered manager of the home. We looked at a wide range of records, including the care files of five people, whose care we ‘tracked’ and the personnel records of four staff members. We observed the activity within the home and looked at how staff interacted with people they supported.

There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty to keep people safe. Staff members were well trained and had good support from the management team. They were confident in reporting any concerns about a person’s safety and were competent to deliver the care and support needed by those who lived at the home. The recruitment practices adopted by the home were robust. This helped to ensure only suitable people were appointed to work with this vulnerable client group.

The premises were safe and maintained to a high standard. Equipment and systems had been serviced in accordance with the manufacturers’ recommendations, to ensure they were safe for use. This helped to promote people’s safety.

The planning of people’s care was based on an assessment of their needs, with information being gathered from a variety of sources. Regular reviews were conducted with any changes in circumstances being recorded well. A range of assessments had been conducted within a risk management framework and strategies had been implemented to promote people’s safety and well-being.

People were helped to maintain their independence. Staff were kind and caring towards those they supported and interacted well with the people who lived at Stocks Hall. Assistance was provided for those who needed it in a dignified manner and people were enabled to complete activities of daily living in their own time, without being rushed.

Staff we spoke with told us they received a broad range of training programmes and provided us with some good examples of modules they had completed. They confirmed that regular supervision sessions were conducted, as well as annual appraisals.

Staff spoken with told us they felt exceptionally well supported by the registered manager of the home. They spoke in a complimentary way about her management style and described her as being, ‘approachable’ and ‘caring’.

The management of medications, in general promoted people’s safety. Medication records were well maintained and detailed policies and procedures were in place.