Background to this inspection
Updated
1 November 2018
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
This inspection took place on 8 and 9 October 2018. The inspection was unannounced and was carried out by one inspector.
We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is 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 reviewed the PIR and other information we held about the home. After the inspection we contacted health care professionals involved with the service to obtain their views about the care provided.
During the inspection we spoke with four people who used the service, the registered manager, deputy manager and four care staff. We spoke with three relatives by telephone after the inspection.
We looked at a number of records relating to individuals care and the running of the home. These included care plans and medicine records for three people, four staff recruitment and supervision files, accident/incident reports and audits. We observed staff practices and walked around the home to review the environment people lived in.
We asked the provider to send further documents after the inspection. The provider sent us documents which we used as additional evidence.
Updated
1 November 2018
The inspection took place on the 8 and 9 October 2018. It was an unannounced visit to the service. This was a comprehensive inspection to review the rating and improvements within the service.
22 Bierton Road is a ‘care home’. People in care homes 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 accommodates eight people in one adapted building. At the time of our inspection there were eight people living in the home. The service is registered to support people with a range of needs such as learning disabilities, autism, mental health, physical disabilities and drug and alcohol misuse.
The care service had been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen, as set out in the Registering the Right Support CQC policy.
The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
At the previous inspection the service was in breach of three regulations of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.
Following the last inspection, we asked the provider to complete an action plan to show what they would do and by when to improve the key questions safe and well-led to at least good. At this inspection we found improvements had been made to meet the relevant regulations. As a result, the service was providing safe, effective, caring, responsive care in a service that was well-led.
People and their relatives were happy with the care provided. They felt people were safe and were appropriately supported. They had positive relationships with staff and felt people were treated like family members. They described the service as “home from home.” Professionals were happy with the way the home was managed. They felt communication with them was good and people’s needs were met.
People were safeguarded from abuse. Risks to them were identified and managed. Accident and incidents were responded to and appropriate action taken.
People’s medicine was safely managed. They had care plans in place which provided guidance to staff on the support they required. Their health and nutritional needs were identified and met. They had access to day centres and leisure activities.
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. People’s communication needs were identified and met. Staff worked to the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 to further safeguard people.
People were provided with equipment to promote their safety. Equipment such as moving and handling and fire safety equipment was suitably maintained and serviced. The home was homely and a refurbishment plan was in place. The provider was considering what changes were required to the environment to enable them to meet people’s changing needs.
Staff were suitably recruited, inducted, trained and supported in their roles. The service had a consistent staff team who knew people well. They had positive relationships with people and were kind and caring in their engagement with them. The required staffing levels were maintained. However, some staff were not working to the organisation's guidance on extra hours. This was addressed and systems put in place to monitor and prevent reoccurrence.
The provider had systems in place to audit the service and get feedback to improve practice. Records were suitably maintained and accessible.
The registered manager and deputy manager were positive role models to staff. They worked alongside staff and promoted team working and open communication. The management team were described as approachable, accessible and acted on issues raised.