Venetia House

Updated 3 October 2023

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was completed by 2 inspectors, an operations manager and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Venetia House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Venetia House is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post. The care manager has submitted an application to register. We are currently assessing this application.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

Inspection activity started on 1 August 2023 and ended on 11 August 2023. We visited the home on 1 and 2 August 2023.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 7 people and 8 staff including the deputy manager, the manager and a director. We reviewed a large variety of records, including care plans, risk assessments, mental capacity assessments, staff recruitment records, medicine records and audits.

Updated 3 October 2023

About the service

Venetia House is a residential care home providing personal care to 9 at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 10 people. The service provides support to people with long term mental health conditions, a learning disability and autistic people.

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

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

Right Support: People were safe and protected from the risk of abuse. Staff were recruited safely. Risks to people’s health, safety and wellbeing had been robustly assessed. Care plans contained detail and guidance for staff on ways to reduce risks to people. Staff had received training which enabled them to support people in the most appropriate way.

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. We recommend the provider consider adding more detail to best interest decisions where possible.

Right Care: People were treated in a caring manner by the manager and staff team. People were encouraged to exercise choice and control in their daily lives. People received information in a way that was accessible to them.

Right Culture: The management team had developed a positive culture, which placed people at the centre of their care. People understood how to complain if they were unhappy with the care they received.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 16 May 2023) and there were breaches 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 inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Venetia House on our website at www.cqc.org.uk

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.