Background to this inspection
Updated
9 May 2019
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team:
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type:
3 Ashley Avenue is a care home without nursing. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care. 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 announced to ensure that staff and people were going to be available.
What we did:
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. This included details about incidents the provider must notify us about, such as abuse; and we sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We assessed the information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection. Prior to the inspection we also contacted the local safeguarding team and commissioning team for feedback, after inspection we spoke or had feedback from three social care professionals and two health professionals that had contact with the service, no concerns were received.
During the inspection, people were unable to verbally communicate with us to give their feedback and experience of using the service, so we observed them in their engagement with staff.
We spoke with one of the providers, the registered manager, an area manager and two support workers and a member of the maintenance team. We also met a visiting relative.
We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care and health records, medicines administration records. We also looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment, supervision and appraisal records and all staff training records. Records relating to the management and safe operation of the service including policies and procedures implemented by the provider were also viewed.
We asked the provider for additional information after the inspection such as the staff training matrix, evidence of the assessment process for a person under consideration and evidence of the providers audit checks of the service, which they sent.
Updated
9 May 2019
About the service: 3 Ashley Avenue is a care home for up to three people with learning disabilities and/or autistic spectrum disorder aged 18 years and over. There were two people in residence at the time of inspection and a third person was preparing to move into the home. The service had been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensured that people could 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’s experience of using this service:
¿Since the last inspection the provider had made the improvements we asked them to make, by revising care plan and risk documentation and improving recording around accidents and incidents and mental capacity. Notifications were made to CQC appropriately and the previous inspection rating displayed in the service and on the provider website.
¿ The provider and staff were responsive to people’s needs, they provided a caring and proactive environment, working continuously to make improvements to the service and provide people with high quality care.
¿ The service was well thought of by visiting professionals and relatives.
¿ Staff were well trained and learned about the values that underpinned the service, they demonstrated a detailed knowledge of the people they supported and over time had developed trusting relationships with them, so that people felt safe and happy.
¿ The provider and staff ensured that people received continuity of care even when in hospital to help them cope with what was a frightening and anxious time.
¿ Staff helped ensure people maintained important relationships with their families and facilitated opportunities for people to meet family and friends away from the service when needed.
¿Staff had a detailed understanding of individual risks and danger for each person. They understood the measures in place to keep them safe.
¿ There were enough staff with the right skills and knowledge to provide support in a person-centred way. The provider took care in their selection of staff.
¿ The environment was maintained to a high standard and with an ongoing programme of servicing and checks of equipment and refurbishments of the premises. Fire drills were held to ensure staff understood how people could be evacuated safely.
¿People were supported to eat healthily, and to access routine and specialist healthcare appointments when they needed to. A health professional commented that staff demonstrated a good understanding of a person’s specific health needs, and had used appropriate discretion in alerting other health professionals when needed.
¿ Staff treated people with dignity and respected their privacy.
¿People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
¿Detailed plans of care that considered people’s needs and preferences guided staff in their support of people.
¿People were provided with an individualised programme of activities to occupy them, and this was monitored to check their level of participation and adjustments were made to reflect people’s preferences.
¿ The provider promoted an open culture and was a visible presence in the service, staff felt supported by the providers and the registered manager, they felt listened to and valued. Relatives were asked for their views and felt these were acted upon.
¿ The registered provider maintained systems to monitor and continuously improve the quality of services provided for people.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.
Rating at last inspection: 3 Ashley Avenue was last inspected on 4 January 2018 (published 4 July 2018) and was rated as Requires improvement overall.
Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection. We found improvements had been made since our last inspection and the service has met the characteristics of Good in all domains. The overall rating is therefore Good.
Follow up:
¿ We will continue to monitor the service to ensure that people receive safe, compassionate, high quality care. Further inspections will be planned for future dates.