Sunnywell

Updated 4 May 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 was carried out by 3 inspectors and an assistant inspector.

Service and service type

Sunnywell 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. Sunnywell is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

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 CQC 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 registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before 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 (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 used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 4 people who used the service, and we observed staff interaction with people, to help us understand people's experience. We spoke with 2 relatives about their experience of the service. We spoke with the provider, the registered manager 4 senior support workers and 10 support workers. We reviewed 4 people's care records and 3 staff files and a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including audits and checks and medicine records.

Updated 4 May 2023

About the service

Sunnywell Care Home is a residential care home providing the regulated activity of personal care for up to 15 people in one adapted building. The service provides support to people who primarily have a learning disability and autistic people. At the time of our inspection, there were 9 people living at the service.

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 that most people take for granted. 'Right support, right care, right culture' is the guidance the Care Quality Commission 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:

People were not protected from the risk of harm. Medicines were not always managed safely. Cleaning procedures within the home did not ensure a clean and hygienic environment for people. Not all staff had sufficient training to support them to carry out their roles effectively.

People living at the home each had unique and complex health needs and staff mostly knew people and understood risks to people.

People were mostly 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:

Support plans and risk assessments relating to people's health needs and the environment were completed but needed more person-centred information to help protect the health and welfare of people who used the service. The registered manager and staff understood their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards

There were sufficient staff deployed to meet people's needs and wishes. Staff recognised and responded to changes to individual's needs. Staff provided kind, caring, person-centred care and support. Staff communicated with people in ways that met their needs.

Right Culture:

Governance arrangements were not as effective or reliable as they should be. Further improvement was needed in the quality assurance processes to identify shortfalls and to drive improvement.

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 8 December 2017).

At our last inspection we recommended the provider consider current guidance on health action plans. The provider had made improvements.

Why we inspected

The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about people’s safe care and treatment, management of incidents and lack of person-centred care. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.

The overall rating for the service has changed from good to requires improvement based on the findings of this inspection.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements.

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

Enforcement

We have identified 3 breaches in relation to safe care and treatment, medicines management, staff training and oversight and governance at this inspection.

Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand 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.