We carried out a review of the data available to us about Jonathan House 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 Jonathan House, you can give feedback on this service.
Jonathan House is a care home providing accommodation and personal care to a maximum of seven people who have learning disabilities, autistic spectrum conditions or additional needs. At the time of the inspection seven people were receiving care and support at the service.
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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
At the last inspection, some improvements were required to meet infection control requirements. At this inspection, the provider had carried out extensive building work and now met all safety and infection control requirements.
The service was exceptionally responsive because support was tailored to meet the needs of individuals and delivered to ensure flexibility, choice and continuity of care. Staff always supported people to feel in control of their lives and respected people’s choices.
People and their relatives used a range of methods to provide very regular feedback. They felt their concerns were listened to and appropriate responses received. Technology and alternative methods of communication enabled people to access information in the way they preferred and understood.
People were very actively supported to follow their interests and take part in a wide range of meaningful activities within the service and the community. These reflected their preferences, social and cultural needs and improved their confidence and self-esteem. People accessed a variety of opportunities and lived as full a life as they wished. Staff understood the importance of people taking part in socially and culturally relevant activities and were extremely flexible in supporting people.
People were safe and protected from avoidable harm or abuse. Staff understood their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding. The service had systems in place to keep people safe and where risks had been identified, actions were taken to manage risks where possible. Staff supported people to manage their medicines safely.
People were supported by regular staff who knew them well. Staff were safely recruited and received training which equipped them to effectively carry out the requirements of their job. Staff felt supported and received regular supervision.
Care plans were personal, detailed and regularly reviewed. These reflected people’s assessed needs and gave staff guidance about what people could do for themselves and how best to provide support.
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 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.
People’s healthcare needs were identified, and routine and specialist healthcare services were regularly accessed. Staff worked with other agencies and professionals to ensure people received effective care which met their needs. People were encouraged to have a balanced diet in order to remain healthy.
People were supported by caring and compassionate staff who treated them with dignity and respect. All the feedback we received about the service, staff and the registered manager was positive.
The registered manager was keen to continually improve and develop the service. Governance systems were in place to monitor quality and performance and actions were taken when shortfalls were identified.
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 14 August 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 overall although the configuration of the building and storage of cleaning equipment was not always safe.
Why the service is rated good:
Staff were kind and caring. Staff respected people’s privacy and gave people choice and control about their care and support. Staffing levels were safe to meet people’s needs.
Medicines were stored and administered safely.
The staff team were trained and were able to demonstrate their knowledge about how to safeguard people from abuse.
Care plans were personalised and contained support plans and risk assessments to give staff guidelines to follow.
People’s health needs were met and people attended annual health checks and appointments as required.
People were enabled to achieve skills that would improve their quality of life and some people undertook work.
Feedback was sought from people. Systems were in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service.
Positive feedback was received about the manager and staff felt Jonathan House was a nice place to work.
This inspection took place on 10 October 2014 and was unannounced. The previous inspection of the home was on 3 July 2013. There were no breaches of the legal requirements at that time.
Jonathan House is a care home without nursing for up to eight people with a learning disability. There was a registered manager in post. 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 in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
People at the home felt safe and said they could talk to staff if they had any concerns. Staff had a good awareness of safety. They took action which reduced the risk of people being harmed and which protected their rights.
People’s independence was being promoted and support was focussed on their individual needs. One person, for example, managed their own care but had support with; "cleaning, cooking and going to the doctor." Staff understood people’s needs and provided support which helped people to be active in the community.
Staff showed a caring approach towards people. They helped people to maintain relationships with their friends and families. People had the opportunity to express their views and to take part in activities that were important to them.
People spoke very positively about the support they received. They talked about new things they wanted to do. They had agreed goals which were focussed on their individual interests and on developing new skills.
People benefited from a well run service that was responsive to their needs. There were systems in place for monitoring the service and for identifying where improvements could be made.
The people we spoke with told us that they could make choices about the way they lived and what they wanted to do and that the staff helped them to maintain their independence. People told us that they have mobile phones to enable them to contact the staff members if needed when they go out on their own.
People told us that they were involved in the local community, attended their local neighbourhood watch scheme and were volunteers in local community groups.
People we spoke with told us how they were able to choose the colour scheme during the re-decoration process and that they participate in the running of the home. One person told us "I have helped to interview the staff"
We talked with two support workers about their role and what they did to support people who used the service.
People had positive opinions to share with us about what life was like for them at the home. Examples of comments people made included, 'The staff all support all of us'. 'The home is very nice'. 'It's a very good home'.
People said they felt safe living at Jonathon House and they knew how to raise concerns if they had them. People told us they were confident staff would take their concerns seriously.
People were effectively supported by enough suitable staff to live a fulfilling life in the home and community.
People were well supported to make their views known about the service. When people made complaints they were properly acted upon by the provider.
We spoke with two people. They told us about their experience of living at the home and said they were helped by staff with shopping and had support in buying their clothes.
We were told 'No complaints, no problems' and 'Happy living at Jonathan House'
'It was my choice to move to Jonathan House', "Good food", 'Get on with the people (living at the home)'and 'we all make choices about holidays'
They confirmed that they made personal choices about the way they wanted to live and that staff helped them to maintain their independence.
People told us they were involved in the local community and had participated in local activities. They said they took part in forums in the community and discussed local issues such as road crossings. They had been involved in organising a annual summer festival day and that the home had made cream teas.
People confirmed their involvement in reviewing the redecoration programme for the communal areas of the home.