Archived: Falconer's Court

Updated 21 December 2016

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.

This inspection took place on 16 November 2016 and was unannounced. The inspection was undertaken by one inspector.

Before our inspection we reviewed information we held about the service including statutory notifications that had been submitted. Statutory notifications include information about important events which the provider is required to send us. We also reviewed the provider information return (PIR) submitted to us 09 September 2016. This is information that the provider is required to send to us, which gives us some key information about the service and tells us what the service does well and any improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection we observed staff support people who used the service. People who used the service had limited verbal communication however we spoke briefly with three people, three support staff, two senior support workers and the registered manager. We also spoke with two relatives and obtained feedback from commissioners.

We also used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We reviewed care records relating to two people who used the service, two recruitment files and other documents relevant to people's health and well-being. We looked at staff training records, medication records and audits and quality monitoring systems that were in place including maintenance and audits.

Updated 21 December 2016

The inspection took place on 16 November 2016 and was unannounced.

Falconer's Court is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to seven people who live with complex learning and or physical disabilities. There were seven people living at Falconer's Court 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.

When we last inspected the service on 30 May 2013. We found the service required improvements relating to staffing and quality assurance systems. When we re-inspected the service in September 2013 we found the provider had made the required improvements in respect of the quality monitoring systems in place at the service. The service was inspected in January 2014 and we found they had made the required improvements in respect of staffing. At this inspection we found that the provider was meeting all the regulations.

People felt safe living at Falconer's Court and we observed staff keeping people safe. Staff were aware of how to keep people safe and risks to people's safety and well-being were identified and managed effectively. People's needs were met in a timely way and there were adequate numbers of experienced staff on duty at all times. The provider had a robust recruitment process in place and undertook checks which helped to ensure that staff employed at the service were appropriate to work in a care environment. People's medicines were managed safely and effectively by staff who had been trained in the safe administration of medicines.

Staff were well supported by the management team and had team meetings every month and one to one supervision meetings with their line manager. Staff felt supported, valued and motivated. People received the support they needed to eat a healthy and balanced diet and their health needs were met through access to a range of health care professionals.

People who used the service and their relatives were complimentary about the staff team. Staff respected people’s dignity and privacy and knew about people's individuals' care and support plans and their daily routines as well as their preferences. People and their family and/or care manager’s had been involved in the development and review of their care plans as much as possible. Family and visitors were able to visit at any time they wished and were made welcome by staff and managers.

The provider had systems and processes in place to obtain feedback from people who used the service, their relatives, and care managers about the quality of the services provided. People’s family members were aware of how to raise concerns with the staff or management and were confident that they would be listened to and issues resolved.

The provider had arrangements to monitor health and safety and the quality of the care and support provided for people who used the service. There was an open and transparent culture in the home and staff had clear roles and responsibilities.