Lennox Court

Updated 2 November 2021

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. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to people living in a ‘supported living’ setting, so that they can live as independently as possible. 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

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since they registered. We sought feedback from Healthwatch, the local authority and professionals who work with the service. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

People's communication styles meant they relied on staff who knew them well to understand them. It was difficult to obtain people's views regarding the quality of care they received, so we spent time with people and observed their support; this helped us understand the experience of people who used the service. We spoke with four support workers, the registered manager and operations manager. We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records, one person’s admission record and two people’s medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. One relative provided feedback about their experience of the care provided.

Updated 2 November 2021

About the service

Lennox Court is a supported living service providing personal care and support to six people living with a learning disability. The premises consist of six self-contained flats. There is an office which also serves as a room for staff who sleep-in at night.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

The provider's systems were not consistently effective in providing the registered manager with clear oversight of risks. This meant they could not be assured all risks to people were effectively and consistently managed.

There were enough staff to care for people safely and people were receiving their medicines when they needed them. Staff understood the importance of monitoring incidents and accidents and there were robust systems to safeguard people from abuse. Staff followed safe procedures for prevention and control of infection.

Risks to people were assessed and managed in a way which balanced their safety and right to lead a non-restricted life. There were enough well-trained staff to ensure people were always supported safely. There was a relaxed, friendly and homely atmosphere at the service. Staff ensured people's needs were consistently met and assessed to enable improvements and progress in their lives.

There were effective systems for communication both at the service, and with other agencies to ensure people received the care they needed. Staff were proactive in ensuring people could access health care services and supported them to live healthier lives.

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. We observed staff had positive, sincere relationships with the people they supported.

Support plans were comprehensive and reflected people's views, wishes and aspirations. People were supported to communicate with their relatives and the managers when they were not happy or wanted to change their support.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right support:

• Model of care and setting maximises people’s choice, control and independence. People were supported to live as independently as possible at a service which encouraged and inspired people to live full lives. People's properties were respected by staff as private dwellings which enabled them to have dignity and privacy whilst receiving support. Staff supported people to make choices and to remain connected with their family, friends and the local community.

Right care:

• Care is person-centred and promotes people’s dignity, privacy and human rights. People were supported to lead full and active lives and to take part in activities that were meaningful to them.

Staff knew people well and we observed people treated with kindness, respect, and involved them in making decisions.

Right culture:

• Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensure people using services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives. Staff described a positive culture where learning was encouraged.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

This service was registered with us on 25 November 2019 and this is the first inspection. Previously this was one of many supported living sites the provider had registered under one supported living location. The provider has now registered each site as a separate location.

Why we inspected

This was the first planned inspection for this service.

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.