Burley Heights

Updated 16 April 2019

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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team: This inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type: Burley Heights is a care home for people with learning disabilities/autism. It specialises in providing support for people with autism. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (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: The inspection was unannounced. This meant the provider and staff did not know we would be visiting.

What we did: We reviewed information we had received about the service to plan the inspection. This included details of incidents the provider must notify us about, such as abuse. Providers are required to send us key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.

We sought feedback from the local authority and external professionals who worked with the service.

During the inspection: We spoke with one person and two relatives. We spoke with the registered manager, the deputy manager, a team leader and three support workers. We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records, various records related to recruitment, staff training and supervision and the management of the service.

Following this inspection, the provider sent us additional information. We took this into consideration when making our judgements.

Updated 16 April 2019

About the service: Burley Heights is a care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and or nursing 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.

Burley Heights accommodate up to seven people in one two storey building.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

At the time of this inspection the service supported seven people with autism.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support in the following ways, promotion of choice and control, independence, inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible to gain new skills and become more independent. 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 choice, control and independence.

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.

People’s experience of using this service: Staff knew how to safeguard people from abuse and were confident any concerns they may have would be addressed by the management team. Relatives told us they were very happy with the support people received. Lessons were learnt when incidents had occurred. Staff received the training they needed to carry out their roles including specialist training to meet people’s individual needs. Staff had been trained to manage medicines safely.

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. However, we identified that record keeping regarding best interest decisions made on people’s behalf required improving. We have made a recommendation about record keeping in this area.

The service was very flexible in meeting people’s needs in an individualised way. The registered manager and provider carried out checks and audits and sought feedback to make sure that the service was of a high standard.

A system was in place for managing complaints however none had been received. The management team worked with other agencies and professionals to support people fully.

Rating at last inspection: The service was rated Good at its last inspection (23 November 2016). Since then the provider had re-registered the service under a different name. We spoke to the provider about this who told us there had been no operational changes to the service since the last inspection.

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on when the service first registered with CQC.

Follow up: We will monitor all intelligence received about the service to ensure the next planned inspection is scheduled accordingly. For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.