Mrs Patricia Pauline Milligan - 51 Wellington Road

Updated 29 February 2020

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

This inspection was completed by one inspector.

Service and service type

Mrs Patricia Pauline Milligan - 51 Wellington Road is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a 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. The registered manager was not in work during the inspection and we were assisted by the assistant manager.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service a short period of notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small and people are often out and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

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. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.

We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with four people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We also spoke with the assistant manager and a member of the care team.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at one staff file in relation to safe recruitment, as well as supervision and training records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were also reviewed.

After the inspection

We received evidence from the assistant manager, of actions taken based on the findings from the inspection.

Updated 29 February 2020

About the service

51 Wellington Road is a care home providing personal care and accommodation to up to eight people who have a learning disability. At the time of the inspection there were eight people living in the home. The home is a domestic style house within a local community. Accommodation is over three floors with bedrooms located on the first and second floor.

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. Support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate it was a care home. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people. The home was situated close to public transport links and good local amenities, meaning it was easier for people to access their community.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

The systems in place to monitor the quality of the service required further development to ensure all areas of the service had clearly recorded checks and the providers involvement was evidenced. People told us the home was managed well, that they were included in decisions regarding their home and they were happy. Staff agreed the home was well managed and would be happy for their family members to receive support there. The management team were aware of their responsibilities.

Staff knew the people they supported very well. Care plans were in place that were detailed and based on the needs and preferences of each individual to help ensure they received person-centred care. Staff knew how best to communicate with people and people told us they could speak with staff at any time if they had any concerns or complaints. People were encouraged to participate in any hobbies or activities they chose to, and when needed, staff supported people to maintain relationships that were important to them.

People told us staff treated them well and were always kind. Staff spoke about people they supported with warmth and compassion and we observed positive, familiar interactions between people living in the home and staff. People’s views regarding the support they received were sought and feedback taken based on this. People told us they had full choice about how they spent their day and staff supported them in whatever way they needed to achieve what they wanted each day.

Staff were supported through a comprehensive induction, regular supervisions and access to training relevant to their roles. People were supported to eat a well-balanced diet. They were involved in deciding the menu each week and encouraged to prepare some meals. The service monitored people’s health and made appropriate referrals to other health and social care professionals when necessary. 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 told us they felt safe living in the home. There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty who had been safely recruited and were knowledgeable about safeguarding procedures. Medicines were administered by staff who were trained to do so, and people told us they received them when they needed them. Regular checks were made to help ensure the building remained safe and there was an ongoing programme of improvements in place. Some additional checks were required and following the inspection, the assistant manager evidenced that risks regarding legionella had been assessed. Accidents and incidents were reviewed by the management team to identify any potential themes and trends. This helped to prevent reoccurrence in the future and minimise risk to people.

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 28 July 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.