Archived: 22 St Peters Road

Updated 6 September 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 12 July 2018 it was a comprehensive inspection and was announced. We telephoned the service 48 hours before the inspection visit because the service was a small care home for younger adults who are often out during the day. We needed to be sure that people and staff would be in. It was undertaken by one inspector.

Before our inspection we reviewed the information, we held about the service. We considered information which included safeguarding alerts that had been made, notifications which had been submitted and contact made with us through our contact team. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law. We spoke with the local authority to receive any feedback from those commissioning the care and support provided. The provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. This informed our inspection planning and judgements.

During the inspection we spoke with three people, two staff members and the deputy manager. We also spoke with a deputy manager from another service within the same organisation who was providing support as the deputy manager was new to post. Following the inspection visit we spoke with the registered manager and met with the provider and an administrator at the head office. We also spoke with two people’s relatives, a social worker and a clinical specialist.

We made informal observations of care and support, to help us understand the experience of people who used the service. We sampled various records including two care plans and associated records, three recruitment files, medicine records, audits, health and safety checks and training records.

Updated 6 September 2018

22 St Peters Road 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.

This location provides accommodation and personal care to a maximum of four people with

learning disabilities and autism. People who lived at the service were adults below the age of thirty-five years old. People had different care and support needs and had varying communication needs.

This comprehensive inspection took place on 12 and 20 July 2018 and was announced. There was a registered manager in place. 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.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

The care service is delivered 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 which ensure people using the service can live as ordinary life as any citizen.

The management arrangements had not ensured quality monitoring systems had been maintained in all areas. Some quality and safety records including medicine records had not been completed in a consistent way. The registered manager took action to address the absence of records and there was impact on the care provided. Agency staff had not completed a full induction and a system to check agency staff working were suitable and safe to do so had not been established. Following a meeting with the provider they assured us action had been taken to ensure suitable checks were undertaken. Staff were not routinely issued with a job description. All these areas were identified to the registered manager as areas for improvement and two recommendations were made.

People were kept safe. Staff knew and understood their responsibilities to report any concerns under safeguarding vulnerable adults and protect people from abuse. People's medicines were managed safely. People received their medicines as prescribed by staff who had been trained to administer medicines safely.

Risks associated with people's health, safety and welfare had been identified and assessed, and guidance was in place to help staff to reduce those risks. There were sufficient staff deployed to meet people's needs and keep them safe, both at the service and when outside in the community. Recruitment procedures were followed and informed decisions to employ suitable staff.

People's needs were effectively met because staff had the training and skills they needed to do so. Staff were supported well with induction, training, supervision and appraisal. People were supported to maintain their independence and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. People were encouraged to be involved in decisions and choices when it was appropriate. Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) assessments were completed as required and in line with legal requirements. Staff had attended MCA and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) training.

People were supported to have busy lives and to attend activities within the community. People had enough to eat and drink and were involved in menu planning, shopping and cooking. Everyone was supported to maintain good physical and mental health.

Staff were kind and caring and treated people with dignity and respect. People were encouraged to maintain important relationships with family and friends.

People and relatives were offered opportunities to feedback their views about the care provided and this was used to improve the service. The registered manager understood their legal responsibilities under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, including submitting notifications of events as required to the Care Quality Commission.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.