We carried out a review of the data available to us about Bennethorpe House on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Bennethorpe House, you can give feedback on this service.
Bennethorpe is a care home registered to care for two people who have a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder and mental health needs. At the time of the inspection two people were living in the home.
The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.
We found the outcomes for people using this service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.
People’s experience of using this service:
People were safe and protected from avoidable harm and relevant risk assessments were in place. We saw that people were comfortable in the presence of the staff and people told us they felt safe. People's medicines were managed safely. There were enough staff on duty to ensure people’s needs were met and they had been recruited in a way that helped to keep people safe.
People were supported to access healthcare services as needed. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff received training to ensure that they had the necessary skills to care for and support the people who lived at the home.
Staff were kind and caring towards people and had developed strong and positive relationships with them. Staff treated people with respect and supported them in a way that allowed them to be as independent as possible. People and their relatives were involved in the planning and review of their care.
Care and support plans were personalised and detailed. They included information about people’s preferences and abilities. People were supported to make day to day choices and decisions about their lives and were able to participate in their hobbies and interests. There was a focus on treating people with equality and on involving and empowering those with communication difficulties, to ensure their voices were heard and valued. There was a system in place to manage complaints.
Leadership and management were of good quality and people who used the service, their relatives and representatives were involved in how the service was run and operated. The service had systems in place to monitor the quality of the care provided. Staff felt supported and spoke positively about the provider and registered manager.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection:
The service was rated good at the last inspection in March 2017 (published 19 April 2017).
Why we inspected:
This was a planned inspection based on the rating awarded at the last inspection.
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.
At the last inspection in February 2015, the service was rated 'Good'. At this inspection we found the service remained 'Good'.
Staff understood the procedure they needed to follow if they suspected abuse might be taking place. Risks to people were identified and plans were put in place to help manage the risk and minimise them occurring. Medicines were managed safely with an effective system in place. Staff competencies, around administering medication, were regularly checked. Appropriate checks of the building and maintenance systems were undertaken to ensure health and safety was maintained.
Staff received training to ensure that they had the necessary skills to care for and support the people who lived at the home. Staff were kind, caring and protected people's dignity. They treated people with respect and supported them in a way that allowed them to be as independent as possible. People were supported to have choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible.
People and their relatives were involved in the planning and review of their care. Care plans were reviewed on a regular basis and also when there was a change in care needs. People were supported to follow their interests and participate in social activities.
The service was well-led. The service had systems in place to monitor and provide good care and these were reviewed on a regular basis. The service also had a clear process for handling complaints.
We inspected Bennethorpe House on 25 February 2015. The inspection was unannounced. Bennethorpe House was last inspected in July 2013, no concerns were identified at that inspection.
Bennethorpe House provides accommodation and personal care for up to two people with learning disabilities and autistic spectrum disorders. On the day of the inspection two people were receiving care services from the provider.
The home had a registered manager. 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.
During our inspection we spoke with two people who used the service. We also spoke with one member of care staff, one visiting healthcare professional, the nominated individual and the registered manager.
During our visit to the service we looked at the care records for two people and looked at records that related to how the service was managed.
People who used this service were safe. The care staff knew how to identify if a person may be at risk of harm and the action to take if they had concerns about a person’s safety. One person said, “I always feel safe here.”
The care staff knew the people they were supporting and the choices they had made about their care and their lives. People who used the service, and those who were important to them, were included in planning and agreeing to the care provided.
The decisions people made were respected. People were supported to maintain their independence and control over their lives. People received care from a team of staff who they knew and who knew them.
People were treated with kindness and respect. A person who used the service said, “The staff are smashing.”
The registered manager used safe recruitment systems to ensure that new staff were only employed if they were suitable to work at Bennethorpe House. The staff employed by the service were aware of their responsibility to protect people from harm or abuse. They told us they would be confident reporting any concerns to a senior person in the service or to the local authority or CQC.
There were sufficient staff, with appropriate experience, training and skills to meet people’s needs. The service was well managed and took appropriate action if expected standards were not met. This ensured people received a safe service that promoted their rights and independence.
Staff were well supported through a system of induction, training, supervision, appraisal and professional development. There was a positive culture within the service which was
demonstrated by the attitudes of staff when we spoke with them and their approach to supporting people to maintain their independence.
The service was well-led. There was a comprehensive, formal quality assurance process in place. This meant that the service was formally monitored to ensure good care was provided and planned improvements and changes could be implemented in a timely manner.
There were good systems in place for care staff or others to raise any concerns with the registered manager.
We saw evidence people were involved in decisions about their care and treatment. We found information recorded in the care plans relating to people's personal preferences and choices.
Care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure people's safety and welfare. People were supported in taking risks as part of an independent lifestyle, therefore risk assessments were in place to minimise any identified risks or hazards.
People were protected from the risks of inadequate nutrition and dehydration. People were provided with a choice of suitable and nutritious food and drink. People we spoke with told us they had a variety of food choices and they enjoyed the food provided.
There were effective systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection. We looked around the home. We found it was clean, tidy and free from odours.
People were cared for, or supported by, suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff. Throughout our inspection we observed good interactions and found people who used the service were relaxed and happy in the care of the staff.
There was an effective complaints system available. Comments and complaints people made were responded to appropriately.
The people who used the service told us they felt safe and any problems they had staff would act on quickly.