Martham House

Updated 9 September 2020

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.

This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place. As part of CQC’s response to the coronavirus pandemic we are conducting a thematic review of infection control and prevention measures in care homes.

This inspection took place on 8 August 2020 and was announced. The service was selected to take part in this thematic review which is seeking to identify examples of good practice in infection prevention and control.

Updated 9 September 2020

Martham House provides accommodation and support for 10 adults with learning disabilities. The service focuses on providing services for people with Autism or specific disorders which mean they require specialist support to manage emotional, behavioural and communication needs.

This was an unannounced inspection which took place on 17 May 2017.

During our inspection the registered manager was present. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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.

People experienced exceptional care and support which enabled them to lead safe and fulfilling lives. The whole ethos at Martham House was one which place people at the heart of everything. People told us they felt lucky to live there and their relatives described their relief at having found such a great service to care for their loved ones.

Staff had an excellent understanding about how to safeguard people. There were robust systems in place to manage allegations of abuse and staff were confident about their responsibilities in keeping people safe from harm.

Risks to the health, safety and well-being of people were addressed in a personalised and enabling way that promoted their independence. Staff supported people with skill and expertise to ensure they could enjoy maximum freedom whilst remaining safe.

There were always enough staff on duty. Staffing levels were set with funding authorities according to people’s needs. Staff were rostered to work flexibly to enable people to follow their interests and hobbies. Recruitment processes ensured that people were always supported by suitable staff.

Medicines were managed safely and staff competently ensured that people received their medicines as prescribed. There were good systems in place to ensure that any medical emergencies could be handled safely.

Staff enjoyed working at the service and felt well supported in their roles. They had access to a wide range of training which equipped them to deliver their roles effectively. The registered manager was an excellent role model and there were sound systems in place to develop staff and promote reflective practice. Staff were proud to work at Martham House and this in turn led to the delivery of high quality support.

There were excellent systems in place to ensure that people’s human rights were protected. Wherever possible, staff supported people to make decisions for themselves. In situations, where this was not possible, appropriate processes had been followed to ensure any decision made was within their best interests. Where interventions were necessary to keep people safe, staff fully understood the impact and ensured support was always provided in the least restrictive way.

People were actively encouraged to be involved in making healthy choices about their food and drink. Where appropriate, people had opportunities to develop their cooking skills and take responsibility for the planning and preparation of their meals. Specialist dietary needs were understood and well managed.

People were proactively supported to maintain good health and experienced improved health outcomes as a result. The registered manager had excellent working relationships with other professionals to ensure that people received the very best holistic care. People had developed their independence as a direct result of the positive support they had received in respect of managing their specialist needs.

People and their relatives repeatedly praised the care and kindness of staff. The atmosphere in the service was relaxed and friendly with lots of fun and laughter being shared. Positive relationships between people and staff had been developed that were based on trust and respect. People’s diverse communication methods were understood and staff were proactive in the way they actively involved people in all decisions about their support. People’s privacy and dignity were upheld as a matter of routine.

People received a highly personalised service that was exceptionally responsive to their changing needs. Staff encouraged people to connect with their local community on a daily basis. People had excellent access to educational and leisure opportunities that were bespoke to their preferences and interests.

People benefitted from living in a well organised, forward thinking service where their needs were always at the centre. The culture of Martham House was open and people felt confident to express their views and opinions. The registered manager and team of directors provided clear leadership and direction to staff and were committed and passionate about providing high quality services to people.

Quality assurance processes were robust and action plans to improve the service were prioritised and completed quickly. Learning was shared from within and outside the organisation and community contacts were well established. National best practice legislation and local policies were referenced to set and measure standards of care.