Archived: Mill Rise

Updated 12 October 2019

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is bought or rented and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection. We also needed the service to check with people that they were happy with us visiting in advance of our inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with five people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager, senior care workers and care workers.

As this was an inspection to check whether the service had sustained its good rating, we looked at a smaller number of records than usually. This included two people’s care records and medication records. We looked at staff files in relation to recruitment, staff supervision and training. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including checks and procedures were reviewed.

Updated 12 October 2019

About the service

Mill Rise is an extra care housing scheme on the outskirts of Newcastle-under-Lyme. This building complex consists of 60 flats which are people’s own homes; these are looked after by a separate housing provider. At the time of inspection, the care provider’s staff supported 11 people living at Mill Rise with personal care. People using the service were of different ages and included those with a learning disability and/or autism, as well as people living with dementia or other health and care needs.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

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

People’s experience of using the service was overall very positive and people felt safe with the support from staff. One person told us, “The [staff] are very nice. They are polite, some of them do the job more efficiently than others, but they are all well-meaning. I have never experienced any unkindness.” Another person said, “If ever any of them left, I would not know what to do.”

Due to the service supporting fewer people within the scheme, staffing numbers had reduced. Measures taken to protect staff at resulting times of working alone needed to be updated in relevant risk assessments. We made a recommendation about this, as well as the service’s staffing flexibility around people’s needs and wishes. However, we also heard good examples of the service being responsive to people’s changing circumstances. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs. Shift patterns had been changed which had led to greater reliability and consistency in staffing. People told us staff were usually on time and they did not have to wait long to be helped if they needed assistance urgently.

Staff felt well supported and praised managers, as well as the positive team culture and morale of the service. People using the service and staff were involved in the development of care through regular reviews, meetings and surveys. The latest survey showed that people were either satisfied or very satisfied with their care. People told us they either had no complaints or were confident they would be listened to if they did. People’s care records provided detailed information about individual backgrounds and needs, to guide staff effectively. The service worked with a variety of professionals to maintain people’s health and wellbeing. Feedback from the local authority confirmed they had no concerns about the service.

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 and inclusion. We discussed further opportunities with the registered manager to support people having as many opportunities as possible to gain new skills, become more independent and involved in the wider community.

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 15 March 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.