Malvern View

Updated 4 April 2020

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

This inspection was completed by one inspector and one assistant inspector.

Service and service type

Malvern View 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

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small and people are often out and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.

We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.

During the inspection

We spoke with one person that used the service and a relative about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager. We observed how staff provided care and support to people.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and multiple medication records. We reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures.

After the inspection

We spoke with two relatives and received feedback from a healthcare professional who has regular contact with the people who live at Malvern View.

Updated 4 April 2020

About the service

Malvern View is a residential care home providing personal care and support to nine people in the home. The service can support up to ten people.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can 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 using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

The service was a large home, bigger than most domestic style properties. It was registered for the support of up to ten people. Nine people were using the service. This is larger than current best practice guidance. However, the size of the service having a negative impact on people was mitigated by the building design fitting into the residential area and the other large domestic homes of a similar size. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate it was a care home. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.

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

People told us they felt safe with the care and support they received. Relatives also said that people received care that was safe from staff who were knowledgeable and knew people’s needs. Staff felt supported and that training was of a good quality and appropriate to the roles they were undertaking. People had a diet that was varied, meeting people’s individual nutritional needs and choices. People’s needs were met through appropriate levels of staffing ensuring that people received the amount of support agreed through their care packages. There was a clear safeguarding process to ensure people were kept safe.

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.

People’s care records were person centred and provided staff with detailed information on who they are and how they would like their needs met. People were supported to manage their health and well-being. Where needed there was input from relevant health and social care professionals to support people’s needs. People were provided with a range of opportunities to engage in activities both inside the home and local community, which were tailored to meet people’s individual needs and interests.

The systems to monitor and review the delivery of care were not always effective and required improvement. This included oversight of the completion of peoples’ care records and also of people’s medicines. The provider took action immediately to address our findings and reviewed the governance of the service to ensure procedures were more robust. People, staff and relatives were all positive about the management of the home and the manager’s relationship with people living at the home.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 10 April 2019) and there was a breach of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.