Archived: Middleton's Lane

Updated 11 September 2021

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 Care Act 2014.

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

This inspection was carried out by two inspectors.

Service and service type

Middleton’s Lane is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

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 sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with five people who used the service and three relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with eight members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager and care workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

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

Updated 11 September 2021

About the service

Middleton’s Lane is a care home without nursing. It supports up to six people with a learning disability or autism. At the time of inspection there were six people using the service. Each person has their own flat within the main building comprising of private lounge, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. There are also shared gardens and a communal lounge and kitchen. There are two offices within the building.

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

People told us they liked living at the service and they were happy. They told us staff were nice to them and supported them to make choices, access health professionals and activities.

People and relatives told us they were supported to stay in touch throughout the pandemic in person, as well as by use of telephone and video calls. People had any risks for accessing the community assessed and were supported by staff to do so.

Relatives told us staff communicated well with them. People and relatives were both happy and confident to speak with the registered manager or staff team if they had any concerns.

People were supported safely to manage their medicines and health conditions. Staff had a good understanding of people’s needs and preferences.

People were safe as they were supported by staff who understood about the risks of COVID-19 and had abuse awareness. Staff understood how to report concerns to keep people safe and where to go for additional advice.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

Based on our review of safe and well-led; the service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

People told us staff treated them well and they were able to do what they wanted to do. Relatives also told us that staff always treated their family member with respect and kindness.

The model of care supported individualised care that maximised people’s choice and control as they were supported in their own flats and each person had individual staff support. This meant their environment was designed to suit their own needs and tastes and they had full control of who entered and how it was used.

This also meant people were able to follow their own plan of activities with flexibility built in to make changes where they wished. There was always a staff member there for them to engage and interact and offer support.

The registered manager was able to evidence how they promoted valuing people principles and had created a culture or person-centred care and respect. This was observed in practice where staff were seen interacting in ways that promoted people’s independence and dignity and empowered them to make choices and decisions for themselves.

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 29 March 2019).

Why we inspected

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.

We received concerns about the provider’s governance systems and oversight of the service. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only.

We reviewed the information we held about the service. No areas of concern were identified in the other key questions. We therefore did not inspect them. Ratings from previous comprehensive inspections for those key questions were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection. The overall rating for the service has not changed and remains good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern. Please see the safe and well-led sections of this full report.

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

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.