We carried out a review of the data available to us about Homeside on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Homeside, you can give feedback on this service.
Homeside is a residential care home providing personal care and support for seven younger adults and older people living with learning disabilities and physical or sensory impairments. Homeside accommodates seven people in one adapted building.
The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.
The service was registered for the support of up to seven people. Seven people were using the service. This is larger than current best practice guidance. However, the size of the service having a negative impact on people was mitigated by the building design fitting into the residential area and other domestic homes of a similar size. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate it was a care home. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were safe and protected from the potential risks of abuse and avoidable harm. People were supported and encouraged to be as independent as possible following robust risk assessments. Where risks to people’s health, well-being or safety were identified, staff were knowledgeable about these and knew how to respond safely. Incidents and accidents were recorded, investigated and reviewed by the management team. There were enough safely recruited, experienced, skilled and qualified staff deployed to meet people’s needs. Staff supported people to take their medicines in accordance with prescriber's instructions. Staff had received infection control training.
Staff received training and refresher updates in basic core areas as well as training specific to meet the needs of the people they supported. Relatives said staff were skilled and competent. Staff felt listened to and supported by the management team. Staff supported people to eat a healthy, balanced diet. People had access to health and social care professionals relevant to their needs. Health professionals told us people received appropriate support from the service. Staff sought people’s consent to the care and support they received, together with that of their relatives or external advocates where appropriate.
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.
Whilst the registered manager was not familiar with the published guidance, the service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence. The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.
People’s relatives complimented the staff team for the care and support provided. Staff had developed positive and caring relationships with people and were knowledgeable about their individual needs and personal circumstances. Relatives, where appropriate, were fully involved in the planning and reviews of people’s care and support.
People received personalised care and support that took account of their preferences and personal circumstances. Staff helped and supported people to develop the skills and confidence necessary for them to live as independently as they could. People enjoyed a varied social life according to their personal preferences with the encouragement and support of staff.
The provider had a robust quality assurance process which meant that shortfalls in performance were swiftly identified and addressed in a timely manner. The staff and management team were clear about the provider’s values and the purpose of the services provided. People’s relatives were positive about how the service was managed and the management team.
The provider routinely distributed quality survey forms to people’s relatives, the staff team and health professionals. Health and social care professionals told us that the staff and management team were responsive to any comments and suggestions and were committed to working collaboratively with people, their families, specialists and professionals.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was Good (published 31 July 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
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.
At the last inspection the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.
People indicated that they felt safe living at Homeside. Risks to people’s safety and wellbeing were appropriately assessed, planned for and managed. There were sufficient numbers of skilled and experienced staff to provide people with support when they needed it.
Staff had received appropriate training, support and development to carry out their role effectively. People received appropriate support to maintain healthy nutrition and hydration. The service was meeting the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLs). Staff supported people in the least restrictive way possible.
People were treated with kindness by staff who respected their privacy and upheld their dignity.
People and their relatives were given the opportunity to feed back on the service and their views were acted on. People received personalised care that met their individual needs. People were given appropriate support and encouragement to access meaningful activities and follow their individual interests. People’s relatives told us they knew how to raise a complaint and were confident they would be listened to if they wished to make a complaint.
The provider and registered manager operated an open, transparent and inclusive service. People’s relatives, staff members and external health and social care professionals were invited to contribute their views which were taken into account in shaping the way the service operated. There was a robust quality assurance system in place and shortfalls identified were promptly acted on to improve the service.
Further information is in the detailed findings below.
Homeside is a care home for seven people living with learning disabilities and autistic spectrum conditions. There were seven people accommodated at the home at the time of this inspection.
The home had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
People who lived at Homeside were not able to share their views with us however, all relatives we spoke with gave us positive and complimentary feedback about service and said that they had no concerns about the care and support their family members received.
People had detailed support plans in place to help staff understand how people liked their needs to be met. Risks to people’s safety and welfare had been identified and support had been planned to enable people to live as safely as possible whilst enjoying a range of opportunities for engagement and stimulation. There were sufficient numbers of staff available to meet people’s care and support needs.
Staff members understood their roles and responsibilities and were supported by the registered manager to continuously maintain and develop their skills and knowledge. People enjoyed a varied healthy diet and their physical and mental health needs were well catered for.
The atmosphere in the home was welcoming and there was a respectful interaction between staff and people who used the service. People’s relatives were encouraged to be involved in developing people’s support plans and to visit the home at any time. People were actively supported to maintain family relationships.
The provider had made arrangements to support people and their families to raise concerns. The registered manager and provider promoted a positive culture within the home that was transparent and inclusive. The provider had robust systems to continuously check the quality of the service provided. Staff were encouraged to develop their skills and knowledge and felt valued.