12 Robert Street

Updated 15 July 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

Two Inspectors, a member of the CQC medicines team and an Expert by Experience carried out the inspection. 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

12 Robert Street 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

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with 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. This information helps support our inspections. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with four people who used the service and two relatives about their experience of the care provided.

We spoke with four members of staff including the registered manager and support workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and five 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.

Updated 15 July 2022

About the service

12 Robert Street is a residential care home providing personal care to five people at the time of the inspection, this is the maximum amount of people the service can support. 12 Robert Street is a large terraced house within walking distance of the local amenities, there is a small garden area to the rear of the property for people to enjoy.

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

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance the Care Quality Commission (CQC) follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

Based on our review of all the key questions the service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right Support

The service gave people care and support in a safe, clean, well equipped, environment that met their sensory and physical needs. Some areas of the service needed updating however the provider had an ongoing refurbishment plan in place for this. Staff understood how to support someone in line with the Mental Capacity Act however more clarity is needed around people’s capacity and the safeguards in place. We have made a recommendation about this. The service made reasonable adjustments for people so they could be fully included in discussions about how they received support, including support to travel wherever they needed to go. A supportive relationship with a local taxi firm meant people could arrange their own transport and travel independently to their planned activities. People were supported by staff to pursue their interests and were given the opportunity to take part in ‘taster’ sessions for new activities within the local community. Staff supported people with their medicines in a way that promoted their independence and achieved the best possible health outcome.

Right Care

People’s care, treatment and support plans reflected their range of needs however some areas need expanding to give more insight to fully understand that person. For example, daily routines, which were important to people, had not been explained. Certain behaviours and communication traits were not fully detailed so new team members may miss cues of someone becoming agitated or distressed. The service has a consistent staff team who know the people well, so this did not impact the care people received. More detail was required around the monitoring and achievement of people's goals and aspirations: we made a recommendation around this.

People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people’s privacy and dignity, understanding and responding to their individual needs. One person told us, “They’re [Staff] all very helpful and caring and friendly. They’re all like my friends.”

Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse. The service worked well with other agencies to do so. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it. People could communicate with staff and understand information given to them because staff supported them consistently and understood their individual communication needs.

Right culture

People led inclusive and empowered lives because of the ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of the management and staff. Staff knew and understood people well and were responsive, supporting their aspirations to live a quality life of their choosing. Staff turnover was very low, which supported people to receive consistent care from staff who knew them well. Staff placed people’s wishes, needs and rights at the heart of everything they did. People received good quality care, support and treatment because trained staff and specialists could meet their needs and wishes. Staff ensured risks of a closed culture were minimised so that people received support based on transparency, respect and inclusivity. We received positive feedback from people and their family members about the service. One person told us, “They’re all good. I’ve never had a problem here, not here.” And another person said, “Nothing could make it better here, it works.”

Rating at the last inspection

The last rating for the service under the previous provider was good, published on 12 December 2020.

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

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection to assess that the service is applying the principles of Right support, right care, right culture. A new provider took over this service, December 2020; this inspection was also to provide them with a rating.

Follow up

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