Background to this inspection
Updated
23 October 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.
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 carried out by two inspectors and an Expert by Experiences. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.
Service and service type
Ruskin Mill College is a specialist residential college. People receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
The service also provides a shared lives scheme. They recruit, train and support self-employed shared lives carers (SLC) who offer accommodation and support arrangements for vulnerable adults within their own family homes in the community.
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 the last inspection. 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. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with five people who used the service and 13 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 34 members of staff including the nominated individual, principal, registered manager, residential managers, team home manager, education health and care manager, senior holistic engagement worker, holistic engagement worker, agency staff, admissions manager, HR advisor, HR manager, training co-ordinator, college medical officer, senior administrator and administrator.
We reviewed a range of records. This included five people’s care records. We looked at three 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. We spoke with 12 professionals about their experience of the service.
Updated
23 October 2021
About the service
Ruskin Mill College is a specialist residential college and a shared lives service for young people with learning disabilities, autism and/or mental health needs. The shared lives scheme provides people with long-term placements, short breaks and respite care, within shared lives providers (SLP) own homes. The service can support up to 45 people. 23 people were receiving personal care at the time of the inspection. 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 possible 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 receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The service was outstandingly responsive to people’s individual belief’s, preferences and needs. Therapeutic care was delivered in line with their Practical Skills Therapeutic Education (PSTE) method, and we found that staff worked creatively to incorporate people’s individual needs with their therapeutic programme. This supported people to achieve support in a way that met their individual needs and promoted their equality.
Staff understood the needs of people and treated them with dignity and kindness to ensure their individual preferences were met. Staff were aware of what actions they would need to take if they had any concerns about peoples' safety.
People's individual needs were assessed, and comprehensive care plans and risk assessments were in place to help staff support people in accordance with their preferences.
We were told that the registered manager was very approachable, and staff told us they were supported well and encouraged to share ideas to achieve the best outcomes for the people they supported.
Positive risk taking was encouraged to provide people with as rewarding life as possible. Staff demonstrated a high level of understanding of the people they supported.
The registered manager was keen to continually improve and develop the service and ensured this through an extensive series of audits and regular monitoring of the quality of support delivered. A positive culture was promoted within the service whereby staff felt empowered to speak up and contribute to peoples' plans of care.
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 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. We saw that the care people received helped them to thrive in a learning environment among their peers, to reach their full potential, and to have maximum choice and control over their lives
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 18 August 2020 due to a change in registration. This is the first inspection.
The last rating for the service under the provider; Transform Residential Limited was Outstanding, published on 10 December 2019.
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about the management of risk. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.
We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern. Please see the safe section of this full report.
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.
You can read the report from our last inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Ruskin Mill College on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
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.