Coalway Lane

We found the following examples of good practice.

• Systems were in place to help prevent people, staff and visitors from catching or spreading infection.

• The environment was clean. Additional cleaning was taking place, including of frequently touched surfaces.

• Staff wore appropriate PPE and there were sufficient supplies. The registered manager carried out weekly checks to ensure the service always had enough PPE for staff to access.

• Staff had undertaken training in putting on and taking off PPE and other COVID-19 related training.

• People and their relatives were supported to keep in contact using a range of technology as well as visits to the home and the homes of people’s relatives.

• People and staff participated in a regular testing programme.

• Appropriate vaccination status checks were in place.

At our last inspection in April 2016 we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

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At this inspection we found the service remained good.

Staff were kind and caring and had developed good relationships with people using the service. People were comfortable in the presence of staff.

Staff were well supported due to regular supervision, annual appraisals and a robust induction programme, which developed their understanding of people and their routines. Staff also received a wide range of specialised training to ensure they could support people safely and carry out their roles effectively.

Staff were highly skilled and knowledgeable about each person they cared for and they were extremely committed to making a positive difference to each person. There was clear evidence of collaborative working and excellent communication with other professionals in order to help people progress and become more independent.

People told us they were safe and were well cared for. Staff knew about safeguarding vulnerable adults procedures. One professional had commented to the registered manager, "I wanted to thank you and the staff team for offering a safe haven at short notice. Another great example of how you are prepared to go the extra mile." There were enough staff available to provide individual care and support to each person. Staff upheld people's human rights and treated everyone with great respect and dignity.

People were involved in decisions about their care. They 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 in the service supported this practice.

Risk assessments were in place and they accurately identified current risks to the person as well as ways for staff to minimise or appropriately manage those risks. Staff knew the needs of the people they supported to provide individual care and records reflected the care provided. Arrangements for managing people’s medicines were safe.

Staff were well supported by the registered manager and senior management team. The registered manager had a clear vision for the service and its development. They were enthusiastic and believed strongly in the ethos. The provider undertook a range of audits to check on the quality of care provided.

People had food and drink to meet their needs. They were provided with opportunities to follow their interests and hobbies. They were supported to contribute and to be part of the local community.

People had the opportunity to give their views about the service. There was consultation with staff and people and their views were used to improve the service. People said they knew how to complain.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

Coalway Lane is a care home that provides accommodation and care for up to 12 people with nursing and personal care needs related to their mental health. At the time of the inspection there were ten people accommodated there.

The service had a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the 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 told us they felt safe and were well cared for. Staff knew about safeguarding vulnerable adults and protecting their human rights. Incidents and alerts were dealt with appropriately, which helped to keep people safe.

The building was safe, clean and well maintained. Risks associated with the building and working practices were assessed and suitable steps taken to reduce the likelihood of harm occurring. This was balanced with the need to allow people to take measured risk as part of the programme of rehabilitation and development of skills and strategies to live independently.

We observed staff act in a courteous, professional and safe manner when supporting people. At the time of our inspection, the levels of staff on duty were sufficient to safely meet people’s needs. New staff were subject to thorough recruitment checks, although there was little turnover of staff.

Medicines were managed safely for people and records completed correctly. People received the support they needed to manage medicines for themselves, so they were taken as prescribed.

As Coalway Lane is registered as a care home, CQC is required by law to monitor the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and to report on what we find. We found appropriate policies and procedures were in place and the registered manager was familiar with the processes involved in the application for a DoLS. Arrangements were in place to assess people’s mental capacity and to identify if decisions needed to be taken on behalf of a person in their best interests. Staff obtained people’s consent before providing care.

Staff had completed safety and care related training relevant to their role and the needs of people using the service. Further training was planned. Staff were well supported by the registered manager.

Staff were aware of people’s nutritional needs and as people were supported to be independent in this area, where needed staff supported people with budgeting, meal planning and preparation. People’s health needs were identified and external professionals involved if necessary. This ensured people’s general medical needs were met promptly.

People accessed community based activities and occupation and were able to come and go freely. We observed staff interacting positively with people. We saw staff treated people with respect and explained clearly to us how people’s privacy and dignity were maintained. Staff understood the needs of people and we saw care plans and associated documentation was clear and person centred.

People using the service and staff spoke well of the registered manager and care provider and felt the service had good leadership. We found there were effective systems to assess and monitor the quality of the service, which included feedback from people receiving care.

The registered manager had notified us of some events which they were required by regulation to do, but other events had not. This was resolved at the time of the inspection and we will write to the provider separately about this.

People who used the service received care in premises that were safe and promoted their wellbeing. The premises were suitably maintained and the standard of decoration, furniture and fittings was satisfactory. People were protected from harm because appropriate arrangements were in place to confirm equipment was safe to be used.

Effective staff recruitment and selection policies and processes in place. We found staff had undergone suitable recruitment checks prior to commencing employment. This helped to make sure only suitable people were employed to care for people who used the service.