Background to this inspection
Updated
16 January 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 was planned to check 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 took place on 4 December 2017 and was unannounced. The inspection was carried out by one inspector. Before the inspection we reviewed the information we already held about this service. This included details of its registration and any notifications they had sent us. Before the inspection 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.
During our inspection we spoke with the registered manager, one support worker, one senior support worker, three people who used the service and two relatives. We looked at three care plans and four staff records. We also looked at medicine records, policies, procedures and risk assessments.
Updated
16 January 2018
The inspection took place on 4 December 2017 and was unannounced. At our last inspection in February 2016 we found a breach of the legal requirements. This was because the provider had not sent us any statutory notifications for people authorised for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) prior to November 2015. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and that they now met the previous legal breaches.
The service provides residential care for up to ten adults who have learning or physical disabilities, some of whom have sensory impairment, mental ill health or dementia. At the time of our inspection there were eight people using the service. The service 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.
The service was safe and had practices in place to protect people from harm. Staff had training in safeguarding and knew what to do if they had any concerns and how to report them. People who used the service told us they felt safe and protected from harm.
Risk assessments were personalised and detailed. Staff had the information they needed to mitigate risks.
Staffing levels were meeting the needs of people who used the service.
Recruitment practices were safe and relevant checks were completed prior to staff commencing employment.
Medicines were managed and stored safely. Support workers were only permitted to administer medicines to people after they had undertaken training and were assessed as competent by the registered manager to do so. Medication audits were completed monthly.
The service was clean and free of malodour. People were protected from the spread of infection due to a robust cleaning schedule.
The service documented and learned from incidents and put procedures in place for prevention or reoccurrences.
Training for care staff was provided on a regular basis and updated regularly. Staff spoke positively about the training they received.
Care workers demonstrated a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and how they obtained consent on a daily basis.
The service was supporting people who were subject to Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) in an effective way.
People were supported with maintaining a balanced diet and had a choice of food and beverages.
People were supported to have access to healthcare services and receive on-going support. The service made referrals to healthcare professionals when necessary and advice from healthcare professionals was followed.
Staff demonstrated a caring and supportive approach towards people who used the service and we observed positive interactions and rapport between them.
The service promoted the independence of the people who used the service and people felt respected and treated with dignity.
Care plans were reviewed every six months and any changes were documented accordingly.
Concerns and complaints were encouraged and listened to and records confirmed this. Relatives of people who used the service told us they knew how to make a complaint.
The registered manager had a good relationship with staff, people who used the service and their relatives. People spoke positively about the registered manager and their management style.
The service had robust quality assurance methods in place and carried out regular audits.
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 using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.