Aspire in the Community - The Gate

Updated 9 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.

The inspection was carried out by one inspector

Service and service type:

Aspire Respite Support Services provides care and support for up to five people with learning disabilities and behaviours that challenge. This includes 4 permanent beds and a respite bed which is used by a number of people on a rotational basis.

The service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. A registered manager and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. The nominated individual was managing the service until a registered manager was recruited.

Notice of inspection:

The inspection was announced. We gave the service 24 hour’s notice of our inspection to ensure a manager was present to assist us.

What we did:

Before the inspection, we reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection in 2016. This included information that the provider must notify us about. We also received feedback from professionals who work in the local authority.

During the inspection we spoke with the nominated individual and five support workers. We spoke to three residents and observed staff interacting with them. We reviewed parts of two people’s care records. We also reviewed records and audits relating to the management of the home. After the inspection we spoke with two relatives and also received feedback from two health professionals who work with the service.

Updated 9 April 2019

About the service: Aspire Respite Support Services provides personal care and accommodation for up to five people at any one time with a learning disability and behaviours that challenge. The service is split into five distinct apartments with their own living space, within one adapted building. There are four permanent placements and one respite bed which is used by a number of people on a rotational basis. At the time of the inspection four people were living in the home, with a further five using the respite bed on a rotational basis.

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 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 received planned and co-ordinated person centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

People’s experience of using this service:

The service met the characteristics of a good service in all the areas we reviewed.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principals and values of Registering the Right Support in the following ways. The service promoted choice, control and independence. Each person had a bespoke living environment complete with bedroom, individual living space and cooking facilities. This helped ensure the service was very person centred. People had maximum control over all aspects of daily life. This included their routines, activities and meals. People’s support focused on increasing their opportunities and providing them with skills to become more independent.

Risks to people’s health and safety were assessed and for the most part appropriate risk assessment documents were in place which were subject to regular review. People received their medicines safely and as prescribed, with people encouraged to be involved in the management of their own medicines.

There were enough staff deployed to ensure people’s needs were met. Staff were recruited safely and only worked with people following training and if they were deemed competent.

Staff were kind and compassionate and treated people well. People were listened to, taking into account their individual methods of communication. People were involved in care and support planning.

Whilst a registered manager was not in place, the nominated individual was working within the service on a daily basis. They had good oversight of the service and ensured it operated to a high standard.

Rating at last inspection: The service was last inspected on 30 August 2016 and rated Good. At this inspection we found the service had maintained its rating of Good.

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection which took place to re-assess the quality of the service provided as we had not visited since 2016.