Titchfield Lodge

Updated 4 June 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: The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type:

Titchfield Lodge is a care home. People in care homes received accommodation and 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 who was 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 announced. This is because we needed to be sure people and staff were available to provide us with feedback.

What we did:

Before the inspection:

•We reviewed information we held about the service, such as notifications of significant events that the provider is required to tell us about .

During the inspection:

•We reviewed records of care, support and medicines management for three people.

•We looked at records relating to the management of the service such as training, rotas and team meetings.

•Due to the conditions and disabilities of people using the service people were not always able to give an account of their experiences of care. We carried out observations of people’s support and interactions with support workers. We also obtained feedback from people’s families.

•We spoke with the registered manager, a senior support worker and three support workers.

•We looked at records of supervision for three support workers and records of recruitment for three staff members.

After the inspection:

•We sent questionnaires to six members of staff and five relatives. We also obtained feedback from two healthcare professionals.

Updated 4 June 2019

About the service: Titchfield Lodge is a care home for people with learning disabilities and autistic spectrum conditions. At the time of our inspection there were four people using the service.

People’s experience of using this service:

• People using the service experienced positive outcomes. Care was designed to meet their needs and support people to develop their independence. Staff were able to provide positive behavioural support to reduce the risks from behaviour which may challenge by de-escalating situations and maintaining routines which were important to people. People were supported to develop their independence and to improve their health and community involvement.

• The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

• The provider followed safe recruitment processes. Staffing levels were planned to meet people’s needs. Sufficient staffing levels were in place to ensure people’s needs were met al all times.

• We observed positive interactions between people using the service and staff. Staff were able to communicate effectively with people using a range of tools. People’s plans were reviewed regularly to make sure their needs and goals were met. The provider worked closely with the local authority and health teams in order to meet people’s needs and manage risks to their health and wellbeing. The provider assessed peoples’ ability to make particular decisions and met legal requirements to act in people’s best interests when they were not able to do so.

• The registered manager had systems in place to ensure good communication, to develop staff skills and knowledge and to ensure the service remained of a good standard. There were systems to learn from incidents and from people and the service was open about when things had gone wrong. People were safeguarded from abuse and improper treatment. People’s medicines were safely managed with appropriate oversight and measures to prevent over-medication.

• Feedback from healthcare professionals and relatives was positive.

Rating at last inspection: At our last inspection we rated the service ‘good’. At this inspection we found the provider remained ‘good’.

Why we inspected: This was a planned and comprehensive routine inspection.

Follow up: The service has been rated ‘good. We will continue to monitor the service and will carry out another comprehensive inspection within 30 months of this report.