Trafalgar House

Updated 4 March 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 included checking the provider was meeting COVID-19 vaccination requirements. 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 undertaken by two inspectors.

Service and service type

Trafalgar House 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.

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

The first day of the inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. 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

During the inspection we reviewed some records of the home. These included medicine and complaint records, infection control information, accidents and incident records, along with information about the upkeep of the premises.

We looked at one support plan and risk assessments along with other relevant documentation to support our findings. We engaged with all the people living in the home; we spoke with five staff members. This included the registered manager and regional manager.

We spent time observing people in areas throughout the home and could see the interaction between people and staff. We watched how people were being supported by staff in communal areas.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the registered manager to validate evidence found. We looked at two further support plans and related records, training data and recruitment files and audits. We spoke with five relatives about the service and five members of staff. We received feedback from two health and social care professionals.

Updated 4 March 2022

About the service

Trafalgar House is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to up to eight people. The service provides support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. At the time of our inspection there were 7 people using the service.

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

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.

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.

We observed staff talking and engaging with people. People enjoyed staff company and were comfortable and confident around staff that were supporting them. Staff knew people well and understood what was important to each person. Staff were passionate about supporting people in line with their individual preferences and unique abilities.

The service was well led by a registered manager and regional 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.

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 underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right support: Model of care and setting maximises people’s choice, control and Independence;

Staff worked with people to increase their independence and confidence to try new things and make their own decisions. People were supported to be involved in the running of the service. One person told, “This is our home, it’s up to us.”

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 of distressed.

Right culture: Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensure people using services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives; The home had been through a period of change. There was a new registered manager who, along with staff was passionate about supporting people to be as independent and live as least restrictive lives as possible. Staff advocated for people’s rights to ensure they had the freedoms and choices they were entitled to Staff were positive about the registered manager, the support they received and the positive changes at the service.

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 1 December 2020 and this is the first inspection. The last rating for the service under the previous provider was Good, published on 10 April 2018.

Why we inspected

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

During the inspection

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. This included checking the provider was meeting COVID-19 vaccination requirements.

Follow up

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