Background to this inspection
Updated
28 April 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.
The inspection was carried out on 5 March 2018 by one inspector and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.
Before the inspection, we reviewed the information we held about the service including notifications. Statutory notifications include information about important events, which the provider is required to send us by law. We reviewed the Provider Information Return (PIR) form sent to us. A PIR is a document that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used this information to plan the inspection.
During our inspection, we spoke with four people using the service, three of their relatives, four members of care staff and the registered manager.
We undertook general observations and formal observations of how staff treated and supported people throughout the service. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.
We looked at four people’s care records, information about the management of the service and quality monitoring reports. We reviewed five staff records that included recruitment, training, supervisions and appraisals.
After the inspection, we received feedback from two health and social care professionals.
Updated
28 April 2018
Poplars provides accommodation and personal care for up to six people with learning disabilities. 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.
Six people were using the service at the time of the inspection.
At the last inspection of 22 December 2015, the service was rated Good.
At this inspection, we found the service remained Good.
A registered manager was in post. 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 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 were happy and felt safe living at the service. People received care from staff who understood their responsibilities to identify and report abuse to keep them safe.
Appropriate arrangements remained in place to identify and manage risks to people’s health and well-being.
People received support in a safe manner because of the sufficient numbers of suitably skilled staff deployed. The provider’s recruitment procedures remained safe in recruiting suitable staff.
People had their medicines administered and managed safely by staff assessed as competent to undertake that role. People received support in line with current legislation and best practice guidance. Health and social care professionals continued to be involved in the planning and reviewing of people’s care.
People received care in line with their changing needs. The registered manager monitored incidents and accidents and supported staff to learn from events when things went wrong.
Staff received the support, training and supervision to monitor and develop their practice.
People’s care was delivered in a kind and caring manner. People enjoyed positive caring relationships with staff. Staff asked people’s consent to care and treatment and respected their choices.
People were involved in making decisions about their care and support. Staff understood how people preferred to have care delivered. People received care as planned in line with their preferences and routines.
Staff maintained people’s privacy, dignity and confidentiality. The provider ensured people had information about the services available to them in a format they understood.
People received the support they required to eat and drink. Staff encouraged people to have a healthy and balanced diet. People had access to healthcare services to maintain their health.
Staff supported people to be independent and to develop their daily living skills. People enjoyed taking part in activities of their choosing.
People using the service and their relatives had opportunities to share their views about the quality of care. The provider used their feedback to improve care delivery. People had access to the complaints procedure and knew how to raise a concern if they were unhappy about any aspect of the service.
People and staff commended the registered manager for driving a person centred approach to care delivery. The registered manager showed commitment to delivering high standards of care. Staff were open and honest about the manner in which they delivered care.
Quality assurance systems enabled improvements of people’s care through regular audits and review of care against standards. The registered manager made improvements when needed.
The registered manager worked closely with other agencies to improve the quality of care.