579 Maidstone Road

Updated 21 August 2021

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.

We received information of concern about infection control and prevention measures at this service. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 12 August 2021 and was announced.

Updated 21 August 2021

The inspection was carried out on 17 April 2018, and was unannounced.

579 Maidstone Road provides care and support to adults with learning disabilities, limited verbal communication abilities and challenging behaviour. The service provides care in an all-female environment for up to six people with complex needs. 579 Maidstone Road is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal 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. At the time we visited, there were six people living at the service.

At the last Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection on 18 March 2016, the service was rated Good in Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well Led domains with overall Good rating.

At this inspection we found the service remained ‘Good’.

There was a registered manager at the service. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Staff encouraged people to actively participate in activities, pursue their interests and to maintain relationships with people that mattered to them. However, sometimes, people had not been able to pursue their desired activity of the day. We have made a recommendation about this.

People continued to be safe at 579 Maidstone Road. Staff knew what their responsibilities were in relation to keeping people safe from the risk of abuse. Staff recognised the signs of abuse and what to look out for. There were systems in place to support staff and people to stay safe.

The provider continued to follow safe recruitment practice.

Medicines were managed safely and people received them as prescribed.

Staff encouraged people to actively participate in activities, pursue their interests and to maintain relationships with people that mattered to them.

People received the support they needed to stay healthy and to access healthcare services.

People and staff were encouraged to provide feedback about how the service could be improved. This was used to make changes and improvements that people wanted.

There were enough staff to keep people safe. The registered manager continued to have appropriate arrangements in place to ensure there were always enough staff on shift.

Each person had an up to date, person centred support plan, which set out how their care and support needs should be met by staff.

Staff received regular training and supervision to help them meet people's needs effectively.

People were supported to eat and drink enough to meet their needs. They also received the support they needed to stay healthy and to access healthcare services.

The Care Quality Commission is required by law to monitor the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. The provider and staff understood their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Staff showed they were caring and they treated people with dignity and respect and ensured people's privacy was maintained, particularly when being supported with their personal care needs.

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.

The provider ensured the complaints procedure was made available in an accessible format if people wished to make a complaint. Regular checks and reviews of the service continued to be made to ensure people experienced good quality safe care and support.

The registered manager continued to provide good leadership. They checked staff were focussed on people experiencing good quality care and support.