Station House

Updated 16 August 2023

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. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection team consisted of 2 inspectors and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Station House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Station House is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service also provides care and support to people living in a ‘supported living’ setting, so that they can live as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.

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The service registration includes a domiciliary care agency. This provides personal care to 1 person living in their own home.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a newly registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We received information from the local authority who commission the service, including from their safeguarding team. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We visited the service on 20 April 2023 and 10 May 2023. We spoke with 6 people who used the service and 11 members of staff including 3 senior staff and 5 support workers, the manager, regional operational manager and nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

During the course of the inspection we reviewed a range of records. This included a sample of 5 people's care records, including records in relation to the management of people’s medicines. We reviewed records relating to the management of the service, including some policies and procedures. We spoke with 3 relatives about their experience of the service provided to their family members.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at policy and quality assurance records.

Updated 16 August 2023

About the service

Station House provides care and support to up to 10 people with learning disabilities, and autistic people. The service is provided in a house, with an annex and a separate bungalow. At the time of our inspection there were 8 people using the service. The service also provides personal care to 1 person living in their own home .

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities most people take for granted. 'Right support, right care, right culture' is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

Right Support

The model of care and setting maximised people’s choice, control and independence. We received positive feedback from people and their relatives about the opportunities to engage in activities and interests. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Right Care

The care and support was person-centred and promoted people’s dignity, privacy and human rights. People's care plans and risk assessments had been reviewed and updated to include the necessary detail. Day to day records reflected the personalised care, support and treatment people received.

Right Culture

The ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff helped to make sure people using the service led confident, inclusive and empowered lives. People and members of their staff team told us various refurbishment and building work had taken place and further work was planned, to improve and personalise people’s environment. However, we identified shortfalls in cleanliness in some areas and some radiators were not covered. The provider’s quality assurance processes had not identified these shortfalls.

We have also made recommendations to the provider regarding medicines management, staff recruitment and radiator covers.

The provider acted quickly to put measures in place to make the necessary improvements.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 9 October 2019).

Why we inspected

We received concerns in relation to the management and planning in relation to people’s personal care needs. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe, and well-led only.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has changed from good to requires improvement based on the findings of this inspection.

You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Station House on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Enforcement

We have identified breaches of regulation in relation to safe care and treatment and good governance at this inspection.

You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

Follow up

We have received an action plan from the provider to indicate what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.