Martins

Updated 6 July 2019

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:

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type:

Martins is a ‘care home’ for people living with autism and learning disabilities. 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 did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that the provider is legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. The registered manager left the service in December 2018 and the deputy manager was appointed as the manager. They had submitted their application to become the registered manager.

Notice of inspection:

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit to give staff the opportunity to prepare people for our visit, so that it lessened the disruption our presence may have caused.

What we did:

Before the inspection, we reviewed information we had received about the service. This included details about incidents the provider must notify us about, such as abuse.

We received feedback from healthcare professional working with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. 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.

During the inspection, we spoke with two people, and spent time observing staff with people in communal areas during the inspection. We spoke with the manager, and four staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people's care records and medicine records, training and supervision records and records relating to the quality monitoring and management of the service.

Updated 6 July 2019

About the service:

Martins is a residential care home providing personal care to two people who may have autism or a learning disability, at the time of the inspection. It is a specialist service for people that have anxious or emotional behaviour that has limited their quality of life and experiences. The service can support up to two people.

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

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.

People’s experience of using this service:

People were supported by a staff team who were kind compassionate and knew people well. People had been supported to improve their communication and empowered to be involved in making important decisions about their care and treatment. People were independent and supported to follow individual interests.

People were safe and happy living at Martins. Staff understood their responsibilities to safeguard people from abuse and avoidable harm. People had been encouraged to take positive risks, including working with tools. Medicines were administered safely, and people had been supported to reduce their medicines.

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.

Staff had the skills and experience to deliver effective care. When people’s needs changed they were supported to make healthcare appointments.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

The manager created a person-centred culture which placed people at the heart of the service. There were strong relationships formed between people and staff.

Rating at last inspection:

At the last inspection the service was rated Good. (Published 14 December 2016)

Why we inspected:

This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as

per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.