Christie Development Centre

Updated 24 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

Christie Development Centre 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 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

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We contacted the local authority contracting and safeguarding teams to ask for their views of the service. We reviewed information we had received from the provider about people at the service since the last inspection, such as, restrictions placed on people, injuries, deaths and allegations of abuse. We asked the provider to complete a provider information return (PIR) prior to the inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the PIR. 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 also looked at information we already held about the service and what people had told us. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection-

We spoke with five people that used the service about some of their experience of care, and with one relative, who visited on the day we inspected. We spoke with the head of care at Blue Sky who is also the nominated individual, two team leaders and three support staff. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider. We viewed a range of records. These included two people’s care files, medication sheets, quality assurance, premises safety and staffing documents. We looked around the premises. We observed people interacting with staff and staff assisted people to tell us what they liked, preferred and wished.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence we found. We looked at information relating to training, staff support, the governance and safety of the service.

Updated 24 October 2019

About the service.

Christie Development Centre is a residential care home that was providing personal care to 10 people at the time of the inspection. The service can support people with a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder. It accommodates people in one building that is split and adapted into two separate homes: Christie House and Sherwood View. All bedrooms are single occupancy with their own bathroom facility. People share the lounge, dining room, kitchen and garden in each house. This promotes people living in a small domestic style property to enable them to have the opportunity of living a full life.

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.

The Secretary of State has asked the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to conduct a thematic review and to make recommendations about the use of restrictive interventions in settings that provide care for people with or who might have mental health problems, learning disabilities and/or autism. Thematic reviews look in-depth at specific issues concerning quality of care across the health and social care sectors. They expand our understanding of both good and poor practice and of the potential drivers of improvement.

As part of thematic review, we carried out a survey with a team leader at this inspection. This considered whether the service used any restrictive intervention practices (restraint, seclusion and segregation) when supporting people. The service did not use any restrictive intervention practices.

People's experience of using the service and what we found.

People were safely supported and protected from harm. This was because safeguarding systems and ways of managing risk were carried out well. There were sufficient numbers of suitable staff employed who managed medicines safely and followed good infection control and prevention practices to protect people from harm. Staff learnt lessons when problems arose.

People's needs were effectively met, because people were thoroughly assessed with mobility, nutrition and health care, as well as any diagnosed conditions. Staff were trained to support them in these areas. People lived a comfortable life because the premises were suitably designed to meet their needs. Staff worked consistently well with other healthcare professionals.

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.

People's equality, diversity, privacy, dignity and independence were respected. Their views on their care and support were listened to. They were supported by caring and compassionate staff and so their lives were pleasant. Staff had a real affinity with people's needs and wishes and clearly enjoyed supporting them.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

Staff provided personalised care, which meant people experienced good support. This was achieved by producing and following person-centred support plans and knowing people's needs. People's communication needs were well met using systems and good practice. Complaints were responded to and well managed. People were assured a good end of life experience when the time came.

The registered manager promoted a positive culture among the workforce so that everyone was open and honest. Staff were clear about their roles, monitored people's changing needs and sought to improve the care people received. They engaged and involved people in deciding their care and support. Partnership working was well established with other organisations or agencies. All of this meant people experienced a well-run service where their needs were met.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection.

At the last inspection the service was rated good (published 11 February 2017).

Why we inspected.

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up.

We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.