Garth Brow (Adult Care Home)

Updated 14 September 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

The inspection took place on 2 August 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because the location was a small care home for adults who are often out during the day. We needed to be sure that people would be in.

The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector.

There were five people living in the home when we carried out our inspection. We spoke with all five people who lived in the home, five members of the care team and the registered manager of the home.

During the inspection we looked at care records for three people and recruitment and training records for two staff. We also looked at records relating to how the registered manager and registered provider assessed the quality and safety of the service.

Before the inspection, the registered manager completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks for key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed the information we held about the service, including the information in the PIR, before we visited the home. We also contacted local health and social care commissioning teams to gather their views of the service. We used the information we gathered to plan our inspection.

Updated 14 September 2018

We carried out this inspection on 2 August 2018. The inspection was announced. We contacted the service on 31 July 2018 to give notice of our visit on 2 August 2018 because this is a small service and people who live there are often out during the day. We needed to be sure people would be available when we visited.

Garth Brow (Adult Care Home) is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. The home provides personal care and accommodation for up to six adults who have a learning disability and/or autism. At the time of our inspection there were five people living in the home.

At our last inspection 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.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

People told us this was a good home and “a nice place to live.”

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

The focus of the service was on providing care that centred on each individual and supported people’s independence and rights. People were supported to follow a range of activities they enjoyed in the home and the local community.

People were safe living in the home. The staff knew how to identify and report abuse and hazards to people’s safety had been identified and managed.

There were enough trained and skilled staff to provide people’s support. The staff knew people well and treated them in a kind and caring way.

People received the support they needed to manage their medicines and to access health care services as they required. People were supported to maintain their physical and mental health.

Care was planned and provided to meet people’s needs. Appropriate specialist services had been in included in planning people’s care.

People were provided with meals and drinks they enjoyed and given advice about making healthy eating choices.

People’s rights were respected. People 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.

People were supported to maintain relationships that were important to them.

The registered provider had a procedure for receiving and responding to complaints about the service. The staff in the home were confident to support people if they needed to complain about the service they received.

People were asked for their views and included in developing the service provided.

There was an experienced registered manager employed. People knew the registered manager and were confident approaching her as they needed. The registered manager was committed to providing a high quality service. The registered provider and registered manager monitored the service to check good standards were maintained.

The registered manager was aware of her responsibilities. She had informed us of significant incidents that had occurred in the home. This meant we could check appropriate actions had been taken.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.