Mary Jones Court

Updated 18 April 2020

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.

Inspection team

One inspector carried out this inspection.

Service and service type

This service 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.

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

Inspection activity commenced on 19 February 2020 with a visit to the service and concluded on 17 March 2020 when we received the views of a representative of a person who used the service.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed the information we held in relation to the service, which included notifications about events at the service which the provider is required by law to inform us about, for example any safeguarding concerns. We received feedback from the local authority commissioning and contracts monitoring team. 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 both people who received support with their personal care needs, to hear their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager, a team leader and three support workers. We reviewed a range of records, which included two care plans and the accompanying risk assessments. We looked at six staff files in relation to recruitment, training, supervision and appraisal. A range of records relating to the management of the service were reviewed, which included audits and feedback questionnaires completed by people who used the service and their relatives.

After the inspection

We received written comments from the relative of a person who used the service.

Updated 18 April 2020

About the service

Mary Jones Court is a supported living service which provides personal care and other support to people with a learning disability. People live in their own flats within a purpose-built building which consists of 20 self-contained flats, a communal area for social events and a staff office. The Care Quality Commission only inspects where people are receiving the regulated activity of personal care. This is help related to personal care and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of our inspection two people were receiving personal care.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The outcome for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People’s support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

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

People told us they were happy living at the service and felt safe. Staff knew people well and understood how to promote their safety and protect them from the risk of abuse.

People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff, who were safely recruited to work at the service.

People were consulted by staff about their wishes, interests and preferences. This information was used to develop person-centred care plans to enable people to live as independently as possible. These plans were regularly reviewed and contained guidance for staff to protect people from risks related to their personal care, health and their home environment.

People received support with their medicines, in line with their assessed needs. People accessed health care services with staff support.

People received their care and support from kind and thoughtful staff. This included support to access community amenities and services, and take part in activities arranged by the staff team. Staff provided care and support in a respectful and dignified way.

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.

People were provided with information about how to make a complaint and any complaints were dealt with in a professional manner.

People were encouraged to contribute their views about their care and support. They could take part in aspects of the running of the service if they wished to.

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 26 June 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information and intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection guidelines. We may inspect sooner if any concerning information is received.