This inspection took place on the afternoon of the 17 April and the morning of the 21 April 2015. The provider was given notice because the location was a small care home for adults who are often out during the day; we needed to be sure that someone would be in.
Seventy-nine Malmesbury Road is one of three homes belonging to the provider, Cocklebury Farmhouse Homes Limited. Malmesbury Road provides accommodation and care for adults who have a learning disability, mental health or more complex needs.
Support is designed for people who have previously experienced difficulties in being able to live within a community environment. Therefore, care is generally provided for a long-term period and this benefits people who require higher levels of guidance and support.
The service had a registered manager who was responsible for the day to day operation of the home. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. The registered manager was present on the day of the inspection. The provider is also a registered manager of the service.
Malmesbury Road is registered to provide care and support for up to three people. At the time of our inspection an extension was being built onto the home. The provider had applied to the Care Quality Commission to increase the number of places from three to five.
People and their families praised the staff and registered manager at Malmesbury Road for their kindness and the support given to people and families alike. People had developed caring relationships with staff and were treated with dignity and respect. People had been supported to become as independent as they were able to be. People told us they enjoyed a very high quality of life and relatives and staff agreed.
People’s rights were recognised, respected and promoted. Staff were knowledgeable about the rights of people to make their own choices, this was reflected in the way the care plans were written and the way in which staff supported and encouraged people to make decisions when delivering care and support.
The care records demonstrated that people’s care needs had been assessed and considered their emotional, health and social care needs. People’s care needs were regularly reviewed to ensure they received appropriate and safe care, particularly if their care needs changed. Staff worked closely with health and social care professionals for guidance and support around people’s care needs.
Staff had received training in how to recognise and report abuse. There was an open and transparent culture in the home and all staff were clear about how to report any concerns they had. Staff were confident that the registered manager would respond appropriately. People we spoke with knew how to make a complaint if they were not satisfied with the service they received.
There were systems in place to ensure that staff received appropriate support, guidance and training through supervision and an annual appraisal. Staff received training which was considered mandatory by the provider and in addition, more specific training based upon people’s needs.