Background to this inspection
Updated
9 August 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: The inspection team consisted of one inspector.
Service and service type:
Visram House is an extra care housing service providing personal care to people with physical and learning disabilities. Visram House is a purpose-built block of flats. The service provides support to people to help them remain independent and live in their own flat within their community. In these settings, people's care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people's personal care and support.
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:
We told the provider two days before our visit that we would be coming. We gave the provider notice of our inspection as we needed to make sure that someone was at the office in order for us to carry out the inspection.
What we did before the inspection:
Before the inspection visit, we reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. This included information about incidents the provider must notify us of, such as any allegations of abuse. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
During the inspection:
We spoke with six people who used the service. We also spoke with four members of staff which included the activities coordinator, registered manager, director of care operations and the regional business manager. We reviewed a range of records. These included six people's care records, medication records, staff training
records, six staff files in relation to recruitment, and incident and accidents records. We also reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including quality assurance audits and checks and records relating to the safety of the premises.
After the inspection:
We spoke with two relatives and asked for their feedback about the service. We also spoke with four care staff which included care workers and a care coordinator.
Updated
9 August 2019
Visram House is an extra care housing service providing personal care to people with physical and learning disabilities. Visram House is a purpose-built block of flats on nine levels, with a total of 99 flats. The service provides support to people to remain independent and live in their own flat within their community. At the time of inspection, the service provided personal care to 24 people who lived in flats in the purpose built block.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found:
People who received care from the service spoke positively about Visram House. They were complimentary about care workers and the service and raised no concerns. People said they were safe and treated with dignity and respect when being supported by care workers in their flat. They also spoke positively about management and said they felt able to speak to them without hesitation.
Systems were in place to help ensure people were protected from the risk of abuse. There were appropriate policies in place. People were protected from abuse by staff who understood how to identify and report any abuse concerns.
Risk assessments for people covered areas such as the environment, physical health and personal care. At the time of the inspection, risk assessments in relation to certain conditions were not in place. Following the inspection, the service sent us evidence they had implemented these.
We checked the arrangements in place in respect of medicines. Care workers had received medicines management training and policies and procedures were in place. We looked at a sample of Medicines Administration Records (MARs) and found these were completed with no unexplained gaps. The service had an effective medicines audit in place.
Steps had been taken to protect people from the risk of infections.
Staff had received appropriate training and they had the knowledge and skills to support people. All spoke positively about their experiences working for the service and said that they received support from management and morale amongst staff was positive.
Details about people's nutrition and hydration had been documented in care plan. Staff supported people to have a healthy and nutritious diet that was in line with their individual dietary needs and preferences.
People were treated with dignity and respect at all times and staff promoted their independence. Staff adopted a friendly, caring and professional approach in their work and this gave people confidence to express their views about the care provided. Staff and management understood the need to promote equality and diversity and consider people's protected characteristics.
People’s involvement in decision-making about the care provided was encouraged by staff and management, and their views were listened to. People's care plans supported a person-centred approach.
People had support to lead lifestyles of their choosing, access the local community and participate in recreational activities.
People understood how to raise any concerns or complaints about the service.
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.
The management team promoted a positive and inclusive culture within the service, based upon open communication with people, relatives, community professionals and staff. Staff told us the management team were approachable and helpful. There were quality assurance systems and processes in place to enable management to monitor and improve the quality of people's care.
Rating at last inspection: The service first registered with the Care Quality Commission in October 2018. This inspection on the 16 July 2019 was the first inspection for the service.
Why we inspected: This was a scheduled planned comprehensive inspection.
Follow up: We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.