Archived: Littlemoor House

Updated 21 July 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 was unannounced and took place on 20 April 2016. The inspection was completed by one inspector.

We reviewed relevant information, including a Provider Information return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also checked on notifications sent to us by the provider. Notifications are changes, events or incidents that providers must tell us about.

We spoke with four people who used the service. We also spoke with three health and social care professionals involved with the care of people using the service. We spoke with four members of staff, including the manager, deputy manager and care staff. We looked at three people’s care plans and we reviewed other records relating to the care people received and how the home was managed. This included some of the provider’s checks of the quality and safety of people’s care, staff training and recruitment records.

Updated 21 July 2016

This inspection took place on 20 April 2016 and was unannounced.

There is not a requirement for Littlemoor House to have a registered manager in place. This is because the manager is also the provider and already a ‘registered person’. 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.

The service is registered to provide residential care for up to five people with learning disability or mental health conditions. At the time of our inspection five people were using the service.

People received responsive and personalised care from staff who understood them. People were involved in planning their care and support. The support people received from the service promoted their independence. People received personalised support to engage in interests and activities of their choice. People were asked for their views and people knew how to raise concerns or make suggestions.

The manager had taken steps to make sure people were cared for safely. Sufficient numbers of staff were deployed to meet people’s needs. Any risks to people were identified and assessed in a way that did not restrict people’s choices. Medicines were well managed and safely stored and administered.

Staff checked with people that they consented to their care and support. Policies and procedures were in place should the provider require them, to ensure the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 were followed. People did not experience restrictions on their freedom and therefore no applications for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) had been made.

People were supported to enjoy mealtimes and received sufficient food and drink that met their nutritional needs. Staff were supported through supervision and training and demonstrated knowledge of people’s needs. Staff received training in areas that were relevant to the needs of people using the service. People were supported to access other health care services as required.

The provider was viewed as being supportive and involved in the day to day management of the service. The manager was supported in their leadership by motivated and supportive staff. Records were well maintained and other audits were used to check on the quality and safety of services provided to people using the service.

People were supported by staff who were kind and caring. People enjoyed the companionship of staff. People’s choices and decisions were respected and used to inform their care plans. Staff were mindful of respecting people’s independence, dignity and supporting their privacy.