This inspection took place on the 28 and 29 June 2016. Z&M Care Limited, 12 Lyndhurst Road was last inspected on 10 January 2014 and no concerns were identified. Z&M Care Limited, 12 Lyndhurst Road is located in Hove. It provides accommodation with personal care and support for up to seven adults with learning disabilities. Accommodation was arranged over three floors. On the day of our inspection, there were seven people living at the service.There was a registered manager in post. 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.
People were happy and relaxed with staff. They said they felt safe and there were sufficient staff to support them. One person told us, “Very safe, because there are lots of people to look after me”. When staff were recruited, their employment history was checked and references obtained. Checks were also undertaken to ensure new staff were safe to work within the care sector. Staff were knowledgeable and trained in safeguarding adults and what action they should take if they suspected abuse was taking place.
Medicines were managed safely and in accordance with current regulations and guidance. There were systems in place to ensure that medicines had been stored, administered, audited and reviewed appropriately.
People were being supported to make decisions in their best interests. The registered manager and staff had received training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).
Accidents and incidents were recorded appropriately and steps taken to minimise the risk of similar events happening in the future. Risks associated with the environment and equipment had been identified and managed. Emergency procedures were in place in the event of a fire and people knew what to do, as did the staff.
Staff had received essential training and there were opportunities for additional training specific to the needs of people, which included diabetes management and the care of people with dementia. Staff had received both one-to-one and group supervision meetings with their manager, and formal personal development plans, such as annual appraisals were in place. One member of staff told us, “Training is good, it’s always available. The registered manager is always chasing us to go on more training”.
People were encouraged and supported to eat and drink well. There was a varied daily choice of meals and people were able to give feedback and have choice in what they ate and drank. Special dietary requirements were met, and people’s weight was monitored, with their permission. Health care was accessible for people and appointments were made for regular check-ups as needed.
People’s individual care plans included information about who was important to them, such as their family and friends and we saw that people took part in lots of activities in the home and in the community. Activities included bowling, music nights, cooking and film nights. People were also encouraged to stay in touch with their families and receive visitors.
People felt well looked after and supported and they were encouraged to be as independent as possible. We observed friendly and genuine relationships had developed between people and staff. One person told us, “They [staff] are very kind”.
People were encouraged to express their views and had completed surveys. Feedback received showed people were satisfied overall, and felt staff were friendly and helpful. People also said they felt listened to and any concerns or issues they raised were addressed.
Staff were asked for their opinions on the service and whether they were happy in their work. They felt supported within their roles, describing an ‘open door’ management approach, where managers were always available to discuss suggestions and address problems or concerns. The provider undertook quality assurance reviews to measure and monitor the standard of the service and drive improvement.