The Bungalow

Updated 22 September 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was 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 was an unannounced inspection on the 22 August 2018 and was carried out by one inspector.

During our visit we spent time with the three people who used the service. We observed how staff interacted and supported individuals. We looked around the service. We looked at all three people’s care records, three recruitment records and the staff training records. We checked the records relating to the management of the service, medication records, and some of the services policies and procedures.

We also spoke with the registered manager, the provider’s operations manager and five support staff. We spoke with one person’s relative and a health care professional who were both visiting during our inspection.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

We reviewed other information we held about the home, including the notifications we had received from the provider about deprivation of liberty applications and injuries. We contacted commissioners from the local authority who contracted people’s social care. We contacted the local safeguarding team and the adult social care team that commissioned services at The Bungalow. We did not receive any information of concern from these organisations. We used all of this information in a planning tool to inform the inspection process.

Updated 22 September 2018

The Bungalow is a 'care home'. 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. It provides accommodation and personal care for three people with a learning disability, nursing care is not provided.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

At the last inspection in July 2015 the service was rated 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 strong emphasis on providing person centred care to people which allowed people to lead full and active lives. Risks to people were assessed and centred on the needs and rights of each individual and were designed to promote people’s independence.

Staff had a good understanding of systems in place to manage medicines, safeguarding matters and behaviours that are challenging to others. People who lived in the home were comfortable with the staff who worked there.

There were sufficient staff available to ensure people's wellbeing, safety and security were protected. A robust recruitment and selection process was in place. This ensured prospective new staff had the right skills and were suitable to work with people living in the home.

People were supported by staff with the knowledge and skills required to meet their needs. Staff received support and supervision to enable them to undertake their roles effectively.

Staff supported people in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.

We have made a recommendation about how the service uses monitoring devices to check that people are safe at night.

People received care that was responsive to their needs. Staff assessed and reviewed people’s needs to ensure care was planned and delivered in a consistent way. Healthcare plans and risk assessments were well planned to enable people to access the healthcare they needed to stay fit and well.

People were encouraged to maintain a healthy diet and received the support they required to develop their independence skills in this area. The home worked closely with health and social care professionals for those people whose behaviour may challenge the service. These professionals were very complimentary on the support and progress people had made since living in the home.

People were supported as appropriate to receive their medicines safely from staff assessed as competent to do so. Medicines were safely and securely stored at the service.

Staff communicated effectively with people and delivered their care in a friendly and compassionate manner. Care was provided in a way that promoted their dignity and privacy.

The service was well-led with an open inclusive atmosphere. Staff spoke consistently about the service being a good place to work. The provider undertook a range of audits to check on the quality of care provided.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.