The inspection took place on 10 January 2018 and was announced.Mellor House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
Mellor House is registered to accommodate up to eight people who have learning disabilities who require nursing or personal care. The service does not provide nursing care. Accommodation and facilities for people living at Mellor House are situated on the ground floor of the building. The home is situated close to Southend-on-Sea town centre and seafront.
The 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.
The service requires and did have a registered manager. 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.
At our previous inspection in December 2015, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service continues to be Good.
The service was safe. Staff understood their responsibilities to protect people from the risk of abuse and avoidable harm. Risks to people’s health and wellbeing had been identified and management plans were in place to mitigate these. Appropriate recruitment procedures were in place which ensured staff suitability for their role. There were enough staff to help keep people safe and meet their care and support needs. There were safe systems in place for receiving, administering and disposing of medicines.
The service was effective. Staff received the training and support that they needed to provide effective care to people living at Mellor House. People were supported to eat and drink enough and to access health and social care services when required. People’s rights were protected because management and staff understood their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).
The service was caring. People were supported by a kind, caring and consistent staff team. Staff knew people well and were sensitive to people’s individual care and support needs. Staff ensured people’s privacy and dignity was respected and maintained at all times.
The service was responsive to people’s individual care and support needs and there was a strong emphasis on person centred care. Care plans were regularly reviewed to ensure they reflected people’s care and support needs. People were supported by staff to pursue their interests and access activities within the service and in the community. Staff were committed to ensuring people had a very good quality of life.
The service was well-led. The registered manager and staff embraced the provider’s vision and values and enjoyed working at Mellor House. There were systems in place to regularly assess and monitor the quality of the service provided and people’s relatives and staff working in the service had the opportunity to say how they felt about the home and the service it provided.
Further information is in the detailed findings below.