Wall Hill Road

Updated 21 April 2022

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place.. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was completed by one inspector.

Service and service type

Wall Hill 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.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small and people are often out and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We sought feedback from the local authority. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

People living at the home did not communicate verbally, we spent time observing staff interacting with people. We also 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 spoke with two relatives. We spoke with four members of staff including the deputy manager, care workers, and a representative of the provider. We looked at documentation relating to three people’s care, three staff files and records relating to the management of the service.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 21 April 2022

About the service

Wall Hill Road is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to up to five

people. The service provides support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. At the time of our inspection there were four people using the service.

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

People living at Wall Hill Road were treated well and each person's uniqueness and diversity was respected. Staff had an empowering approach towards people, promoting their status as equal citizens. People showed us by their actions they liked the staff members caring for them, were very comfortable in their company and enjoyed interacting with them. Staff members were knowledgeable about what was important to each person and used this information to provide care and support that was meaningful to them.

Staff received the training and support they needed to care for people effectively. People were supported to eat and drink what they wished. A healthy diet was encouraged and people were supported to make their own decisions. Staff used a variety of communication tools and techniques to ensure they constantly sought people's views throughout the day and supported them to make decisions.

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.

Systems were in place to ensure people remained safe. Risks to people were assessed and well managed. Staff supported people to live full and busy lives. Infection control measures were in place to protect people. There were enough staff working at the home and people's medicines were managed safely.

The service was well led by a registered manager and deputy manager who inspired and supported their staff team. They ensured that people, staff and those important to people worked in partnership. The culture of the service empowered people to improve their independence and make their own decisions about how they wanted to spend their time and live their lives.

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:

¿ The model of care and the accommodation maximised people's choice and control, independence and promoted opportunities for inclusion. Each person's accommodation was thoughtfully designed and adapted in partnership with them and their family to ensure it met their needs and preferences.

Right care:

¿ Care is person-centred and promotes people's dignity, privacy and human rights; People were

supported in the way they chose and were treated as an individual by staff. Staff knew people well and understood how to support them. Staff told us about the rapport they had built with people which enabled them to provide the appropriate support even when people were anxious or distressed.

Right culture:

¿ There was a positive, person-centred culture amongst the staff team. It was clear that people living at the home had benefitted from this approach and had experienced positive outcomes. The provider worked collaboratively and in partnership with people using the service and a range of stakeholders. In the staff team there was a culture of listening to people and taking action based upon their feedback.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 16 September 2019 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.