Greenfields

Greenfields is a care home providing accommodation and personal care to a maximum of 6 older and younger people who have a physical, sensory or learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder. Greenfields specialises in providing a short term respite service. Accommodation is provided in one adapted building. At the time of this inspection there were 5 people using 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 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 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. Risks were assessed, monitored and managed with the involvement of people and their relatives so they were protected, and their wishes respected. There were enough staff to support people and to help keep them safe. People received their medicines when they needed them.

Right Care:

People received support which was tailored to meet their needs and preferences. People were supported to be as independent as they could be. Staff treated people with respect and ensured their protected characteristics were understood and respected. People were supported by staff who knew them well and who were trained and competent in their role. Staff had been trained in safeguarding adults from abuse and understood when and how to report concerns.

Right Culture:

Staff had the knowledge, skills and attitude to provide responsive and compassionate care tailored to people's needs and aspirations. The provider’s systems to monitor the quality and safety of the service provided were effective in driving improvements. The views of people, their relatives and staff were valued. The registered manager worked with other agencies to achieve good outcomes for people. There was an open and honest culture and learning from when things when wrong.

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 11 August 2018).

Why we inspected

We inspected this service due to the length of time since the previous inspection.

This was a focused inspection, and the report only covers our findings in relation to the key questions safe and well-led. 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 remained good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

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

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.

Greenfields is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. Greenfields provides a short stay respite service for up to six adults who have a learning disability, associated physical disability and/or autistic spectrum disorder. At the time of our visit there were two people using the service.

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 and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.” Registering the Right Support CQC policy.

There was a registered manager in post who ensured the home was well managed. 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.

People were protected from the risk of abuse and unsafe care and treatment. Staff understood how to recognise and report abuse and the provider’s robust procedures for staff recruitment helped to ensure only suitable staff were employed. Staffing levels were flexible to meet the needs and numbers of the people who were staying at the home. People were supported to live their lives in a safe way because potential risks were identified and managed. People received their prescribed medicines when they needed them from staff who were trained and competent to carry out the task. The provider’s infection control procedures protected people from the risks associated with the spread of infection. Regular health and safety checks helped to ensure the environment remained a safe place for people.

People were supported by a staff team who were well trained and knowledgeable. Staff understood the importance of ensuring people’s rights were respected. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice. People were supported to eat well in accordance with their needs and preferences. People’s health and well-being were regularly monitored.

People benefitted from a staff team who were kind, caring and compassionate. Staff took time to get to know people well and they knew what was important to the people they supported. There was an emphasis on empowering people and valuing their views. People were afforded privacy and staff understood the importance of confidentiality.

People were supported to live their lives to the full. Information had been produced in accessible formats which helped people to express their needs and preferences. People were able to continue with their education and to develop and learn new skills. There were ample opportunities for social stimulation and activities. Staff understood the importance of enabling people to maintain contact with their family and friends during their stay.

There were effective procedures in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service provided to people. There was an ethos of continually striving to improve. People were supported by a happy and well supported staff team who were committed to providing people with the best care possible. The provider promoted an ethos of continually learning, being open and honest and admitting when thing went wrong.