Care at Parkside

Care at Parkside is a residential care home based in Oldham that provides accommodation and personal care for up to 24 people, with 15 residents living there at the time of the inspection. The home underwent a focused inspection to check on previous requirements and management practices. While the environment is clean, staff are well-trained, and relatives share largely positive feedback about the care provided, inspectors identified ongoing areas requiring attention regarding documentation and internal oversight.

When it comes to safety, the home maintained a clean environment with good infection control practices, proper equipment checks, and safe staff recruitment. However, inspectors found issues with medication records, such as missing guidance for as-needed medicines, inconsistent cream application records, and a lack of documentation for fluid thickeners. Additionally, staff continued applying a potent steroid cream beyond its prescribed two-week limit without consulting a doctor, and weekly checks had failed to address overly hot bathroom water until inspectors raised the issue.

The service performs well in meeting individual needs and keeping residents engaged. Care records are person-centred and reflect people's personal preferences, hobbies, and communication needs. Staff support residents to take part in various activities and celebrate events, and safe visiting arrangements have been maintained alongside good contact with family and friends through technology when necessary.

Management and leadership show some inconsistencies, as internal audits and monitoring systems failed to catch the medication recording errors and high water temperatures noted during the inspection. Although there has been a recent change in management with the owner taking on day-to-day running and a new deputy manager appointed, previous medication documentation issues have not been fully resolved, leading to continued breaches in service governance.