Spencer Place

Updated 11 June 2022

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

One inspector and an Expert by Experience carried out the inspection. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Spencer Place is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since it was first registered with us. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.

During the inspection

We spoke with seven people who used the service and four relatives about their experience of the care provided. The Expert by Experience spoke with relatives remotely on the phone. We spoke with nine members of staff including the registered manager, deputy managers, support workers, positive behavioural support staff and referrals team.

We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and five medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data, minutes from meetings and quality assurance records. We received feedback from two professionals who regularly visit the service.

Updated 11 June 2022

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

About the service

Spencer Place is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to up to 10 people, with support needs primarily related to their mental health. Some people living at the service were also autistic or had a mild learning disability. At the time of the inspection eight people were living at the care home. Six people were living in the main house with two people accommodated in a separate building in the grounds, referred to as the annexes. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Right Support

People and relatives told us they were involved in their care and support was planned to ensure people had a good quality of life and were working toward recovery. People were positive about how they were supported. One person told us, “With this set up staff are around 24 hours a day and I can have support whenever I need it.” People went out to the local community and accessed health services; they regularly went on day trips and were supported to meet their goals and aspirations. People were supported to maintain relationships with those who were important to them, they could visit people outside their home and have people visit them. The service provided care and support in a safe, clean, well equipped, well-furnished and well-maintained environment.

Right Care

People received kind and compassionate care. Staff respected and promoted people's dignity, privacy and human rights. People had unrestricted access to their rooms which promoted privacy and dignity. Care plans were holistic, person-centred, focussed on people's strengths and promoted independence. People, health and care professionals and relatives spoke positively about the care people received. One person told us, "I have struggles inside, they [staff] work with you most of the time to help you get through each day.” The service used a positive risk-taking approach when considering the support people needed to help keep them safe. People told us they felt safe and worked with staff to develop their own risk management strategies. Staff knew people’s risks, how to manage them. People were protected from the risk of abuse by staff who knew how to recognise and report concerns.

Right culture

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. The managers and staff demonstrated values, attitudes and behaviours which supported people to build confident, inclusive and empowered lives. Staff had received specific training to meet the needs of people living with a mental health condition and the range of strengths and impairments people with a learning disability and autistic people may have. Staff spoke with passion about people and the care and support they provided. One staff member told us, “Seeing people smile at the end of the day knowing that you've helped achieve that, that's why I do this job.” The service promoted an open and transparent culture which encouraged people and their relatives to share their views and make a complaint. People's quality of life was enhanced by the service's culture of openness, inclusivity and working well with external agencies and health professionals.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Why we inspected

This service was registered with us on 30 March 2021 and this is the first inspection.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.