Rowanberries

Updated 29 January 2019

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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 3 January 2019 and was carried out by two adult social care inspectors and one assistant adult social care inspector. The inspection was announced. We gave the service short notice of the inspection because we needed to be sure that management support would be available during our inspection. At the time of our inspection, the service was supporting 40 people with personal care and support.

Before the inspection we reviewed the information, we held about the service. This included notifications from the provider and speaking with the local authority contracts and safeguarding teams. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law.

The provider had completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). The PIR is a document which gives the provider the opportunity to tell us about the service. 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.

On 3 January 2019, an adult social care inspector spoke on the telephone with four people who use the service and two care staff. Also on 3 January 2018, one adult social care inspector and an assistant adult social care inspector visited the provider’s office and spent time looking at records, which included four people’s care records, four staff files and records relating to the management of the service. Whilst at the provider’s offices, we spoke with the area support manager, the assistant manager, the regional manager, one person who uses the service, five staff and one person’s relative. We also visited and spoke with four people who use the service in their own apartments.

We took all this information into account when making our judgements about the service.

Updated 29 January 2019

This inspection took place on 3 January 2019 and was announced.

Rowanberries DCA operates within the Rowanberries Housing with Care complex in the village of Clayton and is part of the Methodist Homes (MHA) group. This service provides care and support to people living in specialist 'extra care' housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is bought or rented, and is the occupant’s own home. People's care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people's personal care and support service. People receiving care lived in apartments within the complex. Out of 46 apartments, 40 people currently receive care and support from the DCA.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

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. The registered manager was off work due to extended leave on the day of inspection and the service was being supported by the assistant manager, the provider’s area support manager and regional manager.

Staff were being recruited safely and there were enough staff to take care of people’s care and support needs. Staff were receiving appropriate training and they told us the training was good and relevant to their role. Staff were supported by the management team and were receiving formal supervision where they could discuss their ongoing development needs. Staff competencies were assessed regularly.

People who used the service and their relatives told us staff were helpful, attentive and caring. Staff demonstrated they treated people with respect and compassion.

Care plans were up to date and detailed what care and support people wanted and needed. Risk assessments were mostly in place and showed what action had been taken to mitigate any risks which had been identified. People felt safe and appropriate referrals were being made to the safeguarding team when this had been necessary.

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.

Medicines were being managed safely and people’s healthcare needs were being met. Staff knew about people’s dietary needs and preferences. The service was not currently supporting anyone at nutritional risk.

People told us they knew how to complain. Records showed complaints received had been dealt with appropriately.

Everyone spoke highly of the management team and said they were approachable and supportive. The provider had systems in place to monitor the quality of care provided and where issues were identified they acted to make improvements.

We found all the fundamental standards were being met. Further information is in the detailed findings below.