Station Villa

About the service

Station Villa is a residential care home providing personal care to up to 16 people. The service specialises in the care of people who have a learning disability and autistic people. At the time of our inspection there were 15 people using the service.

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

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting underpinning principles of “Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture.

Right Support

The model of care and setting maximised people’s choice, control and independence. The service was within walking distance to the town and there was good access to the local community and amenities.

People were supported to make their own decisions and included in the day to day running of their home. This included attending work or college, going shopping, attending clubs and accessing the community.

Staff supported people to learn new skills and maintain their independence. People had fulfilling days and meaningful goals they chose. Staff supported each person by focusing on their strengths and encouraging each person with what they could do.

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. We observed people making real choices in the structure of their day and the activities they took part in. They were in control of how they spent their time; what they wanted to do and when.

People were supported by enough staff on duty who had been trained to do their jobs properly. People’s risk assessments were clear and up to date. People received their medicines in a safe way and were protected from abuse and neglect. People told us they were able to access timely support from health and social care professionals.

Right Care

There was a strong person-centred culture within the staff team. Care is person-centred and promoted people’s dignity, privacy and human rights. People were treated in a dignified manner and staff were aware of people’s support needs.

Staff knew people well and demonstrated an understanding of people's individual care, behavioural and communication needs. Staff gained consent from people prior to providing any support.

People received good quality care, support and treatment because staff had the skills they needed and supported each other effectively. Comments included “Staff are kind”, “Staff are lovely” and care is “Perfect.”

People communicated with staff with no hesitation. Staff understood their individual communication needs and were consistent in their approach and response. Risk assessments informed staff of any specific ways to best communicate with each person.

Right Culture

The managers and staff team were highly motivated and proud of the service they delivered to the people they supported. There was a visible person-centred culture at the service.

People led their life that reflected their personalities and preferences. People were supported by staff where the ethos, values, and attitudes of management and care staff ensured they led confident, inclusive and empowered lives.

Staff created an environment that inspired people to understand and achieve their goals and ambitions.

People’s quality of life was enhanced by the staff team’s commitment to ensuring a respectful and inclusive culture. Systems were in place to monitor the quality of the care and support people received.

There was clear leadership and visions and values for the service, that ensured people were at the heart of everything they did.

For more information, please read the detailed findings section of this report. If you are reading this as a separate summary, the full report can be found on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website at www.cqc.org.uk

Last rating and update

The service was rated Good at our last inspection. (Published 18 September 2017).

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection as part of a random selection of services rated Good and Outstanding.

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.

Follow up

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

At the last inspection, in September 2016, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

A registered manager had recently been appointed to the company who oversaw the day to day operations of Station Villa plus its other residential services. People, relatives and staff spoke very highly of the changes that the new manager had put in place at Station Villa, and the high level of support that they felt they received from them. One person said “I like her, it’s so much better here now” and a member of staff said “She has opened my eyes to a new way of working. It is more person centred. They [people we support] really are at the centre in everything we now do.”

The registered manager had a clear vision for the service and encouraged people, relatives and staff to express their views and opinions. The manager led by example and expected all the staff to carry out their role to the same standard.

People told us they felt safe living at Station Villa and with the staff who supported them. People told us, “I like it here” and “I am really happy.” Relatives told us they were, “Very happy” with the care provided and the support they received from staff and the management team of Station Villa.

We observed people had good relationships with staff and staff interacted with people in a kind and respectful manner. People told us they felt staff were “great” and “helpful.” The staff team had developed caring and supportive relationships with people using the service. A relative commented “[person’s name] is treated kindly and [their] dignity is respected” and that staff “Go that extra mile.” People were supported to maintain contact with friends and family and had the opportunity to be involved in decisions about their care and the running of the service.

Care and support was provided by a consistent staff team, who knew people well and understood their needs. People had dedicated key workers who were responsible for updating care plans and leading on supporting people. These were chosen according to their experience and relationship with the person concerned.

A visiting health and social care professional was positive about the care and support that people received at Station Villa. They told us that it was “Very person centred, the best it’s been.” They also commented that the staff team were encouraging people to develop their daily living skills so that people could become more independent and be proud of their own skills and abilities.

People told us that staff were very supportive and were fully involved in every aspect of their life, both in Station Villa and in the community. People told us they had set goals of things that they would like to achieve. Some examples were; going to the shop unsupported, undertaking educational courses, attending a music concert in London, or going on holiday. People told us, and showed us photographs of when they had achieved some of these goals and were proud of their accomplishments. This showed that people were fully involved in setting their own goals, and were supported to, where possible, work towards achieving them.

There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff on duty and staffing levels were adjusted to meet people’s changing needs and wishes. Staff completed a thorough recruitment process to ensure they had the appropriate skills and knowledge. Staff knew how to recognise and report the signs of abuse.

Staff were supported through a system of induction and training. Staff told us the training was thorough and gave them confidence to carry out their role effectively. New employees undertook a rigorous induction programme and told us this was beneficial and prepared them well for their roles.

People were supported to eat and drink enough and maintain a balanced diet and were involved in meal planning. Menu planning was done in a way which combined healthy eating with the choices people made about their food.

People were supported to maintain good health, have access to healthcare services and receive on-going healthcare support. Staff supported people to arrange and attend appointments to see their GP and other necessary healthcare appointments.

Care records were up to date, had been regularly reviewed, and accurately reflected people’s care and support needs. People, who received care, or their advocates, were involved in decisions about their support and consented to the care provided. Risk assessment procedures were designed to enable people to take risks while providing appropriate protection.

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 supported this practice.

People and their families were given information about how to complain. The registered manager was visible in the service, regularly working alongside staff to provide care and support for people. There was a positive culture within the staff team and staff said they were supported by the registered manager.

There were effective quality assurance systems in place to make sure that any areas for improvement were identified and addressed. People and their families were involved in the running of the service and were regularly asked for their views through on-going conversations with staff and surveys.

Further information can be found in the detailed findings below

Care plans including daily records were detailed, people were involved in their care planning. Staff received training and support which enabled them to meet the needs of people that lived in the home. We observed interactions between staff and people who use the service. Staff spoke with people in a respectful and caring manner. People were relaxed, their views were listened to; they clearly felt comfortable with staff who supported them.

People told us that if they were unhappy with something, they would talk with staff or the manager. Staff told us that the manager was very approachable and training opportunities were good.

We saw visiting professionals comments in the comments book, 'Station Villa has been very positive, welcoming and helpful...it is a very supportive environment'. Another visitor wrote, 'Congratulations for support and encouragement given, very person centred'.

People lived in a safe, clean and pleasant environment. Relatives told us, "We are very happy with the care and support given, staff are wonderful and always helpful".

One person told us, "It's lovely living here, the staff and the manager are nice. If you don't like what's on the menu you can ask for something different".

Care records showed people made decisions for themselves and were able to consent or decline care and treatment. We found people's privacy, dignity and independence were respected and people's views and experiences were taken into account in the way the service was provided and delivered in relation to their care. We saw people's wishes were respected. We observed people moving around the home without restriction.

Care plans and associated documentation were detailed, informative and directed and guided staff of the action they needed to take in order to meet people's assessed care needs. People's records were personalised and provided clear information about the person's wishes and abilities. People experienced care, treatment and support that met their needs and protected their rights.

People who used the service were protected from the risk of abuse.

People lived in a safe, clean pleasant and homely environment.