Archived: Bells Court

Updated 1 March 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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team:

One inspector carried out this inspection.

Service and service type:

Bells Court is a care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and personal care. CQC regulated both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

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

Notice of inspection:

The inspection was unannounced and took place on 06 February and on the evening of 07 February 2019.

What we did:

We reviewed information we had received about the home since the last inspection in March 2016. This included details about incidents the provider must notify us about, such as abuse. We assessed the information we require providers to send us at least once annually, this is the Provider Information Return. This document gave some key information about the registered service they provide, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

In addition to speaking with all three people living at Bells Court, we spent time observing staff supporting people in communal areas of the home. We spoke with two staff members and the registered manager.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people's care records and medication records. We also looked at staff recruitment checks and staff training records. We reviewed records relating to the management of the home, fire records, audits and some policies and procedures that had been developed and implemented by the provider.

Updated 1 March 2019

About the service:

Bells Court is a small residential care home providing personal care and support to three people aged under 65 who had learning disabilities or autism.

The care service had not originally been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. The home had been registered before such guidance was produced. The guidance focussed on values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion so that people with learning disabilities and autism using a service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen. However, it was clear that people living in Bells Court were given such choices and their independence and participation within the local community had been and was continuing to be encouraged and enabled.

People’s experience of using this service:

People who used the service continued to be supported to remain safe. Staff knew people well and supported them with kindness and consideration.

People received medications safely and risks to people had been assessed and managed to identify and reduce or remove safety risks. Other aspects of safety, including environmental and issues of personal safety, were also addressed and well managed in the home.

Peoples rights were upheld and protected. People were supported to have choice and control over their day to day lives.

People continued to be supported by an established team of staff who provided kind and personalised care to people living in the home. Safe recruitment of staff ensured people were supported by staff of good character.

There was a range of monitoring systems in place that checked if the home was well managed and effective in supporting people to have a good quality of life. People were supported by staff who were well trained and focussed on supporting them with their plans.

The registered manager was keen to promote opportunities to support people to engage in the community and enjoy a range of experiences in line with their wishes. Staff provided encouragement and enabled people to do these as much as possible.

The home continued to meet the characteristics of a rating of good in all areas. More information about the inspection is in the full report.

Rating at last inspection:

The home was rated good at the last inspection (report published in March 2016).)

Why we inspected:

This was a planned unannounced inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor the home through information we receive.