Pershore Short Term Breaks

Updated 11 August 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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.

The inspection visit took place on 12 July 2018 and was conducted by one inspector. It was a comprehensive, announced inspection. We gave the provider 24 hours’ notice of our inspection visit because it is a small learning disability service for people with complex medical needs.

As part of our inspection we reviewed information received about the service, for example the statutory notifications the provider had sent us. A statutory notification is information about important events, which the provider is required to send to us by law. Before the inspection visit, the provider completed 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 found the PIR reflected the service.

During the inspection visit we spoke with four relatives of people who used the service. We also observed how staff interacted with people in the communal areas.

We reviewed three people's care plans and records to see how their care and treatment was planned and delivered. We also spoke with the registered manager, two team leaders and three members of care staff.

We looked at other records related to people's care and how the service operated, including medicine records and the provider's quality assurance system.

Updated 11 August 2018

We inspected this service on 12 July 2018. The inspection was announced.

Pershore Short Term Breaks offers accommodation for up to four people with learning disabilities and sensory impairments. The home offers short term accommodation to people with complex health needs, so relatives and carers are supported in their caring roles. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. Nineteen people used the respite service at the time of our inspection visit.

There was a registered manager in post at the service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. 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.

At the last inspection in December 2015 the service was rated as Good. At this inspection we found the quality of care had been maintained and people continued to receive a service that was well led, providing safe, caring, effective and responsive care and support that met their needs. The rating remains 'Good'.

There were enough skilled and knowledgeable staff to meet people’s needs and provide effective care. Staff felt they had good training. Staff were supervised and supported in their roles. People were assisted to access health services when needed and staff worked well with other health and social care professionals.

People had a comprehensive assessment of their health and social care needs before they used the service. Care plans contained detailed information to enable people to receive appropriate care and support that was responsive to their needs. People’s care needs were regularly reviewed. The registered manager and the provider were in regular contact with people, or their relatives, to check the care provided was what people needed and expected.

Staff were caring and people were treated with dignity and respect.

Staff understood how to protect people from abuse and harm. There were procedures to keep people safe and manage identified risks to people’s care.

Where medicines were administered staff were trained and assessed as competent to do so safely. The provider had a recruitment process that had suitable checks in place to ensure that prior to staff starting work they were suitable to support people who used the service.

The principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) were followed by the registered manager and staff. People’s decisions and choices were respected and people felt involved in their care. People were supported to have choice and control of their lives and staff sought permission before assisting them.

There were governance systems in place that provided the registered manager with an overview of areas such as care records, medicine records and call times.