Royal Mencap Society - 145 Kingsley Road

145 Kingsley Road accommodates eight people with a learning disability in one adapted building. 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. Registering the Right Support CQC policy

There was a registered manager in place. 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 this inspection we found the service remained Good.

People told us they felt safe living in the home. Relatives agreed that their family members were safe. We saw people were happy and trusted the staff. There were systems and processes in place to minimise risks to people. These included making sure staff knew how to recognise and report abuse.

There were adequate numbers of staff available to meet people's needs in a timely manner. Recruitment checks were completed prior to staff being employed which helped make sure staff employed were of good character.

People enjoyed the food provided and were supported to receive adequate food and drink to remain healthy.

Staff were receiving regular training, supervision and appraisal so they were skilled and competent to carry out their role.

People were supported to have choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.

Staff knew the people they were supporting and provided a personalised service. Support plans were in place detailing how people wished to be supported and people were involved in making decisions about their care. Staff respected the right to confidentiality for people who used the service.

We observed staff the treated people with respect and people’s dignity and privacy was actively promoted by the staff.

A varied range of activities were made available and we saw staff were proactive in engaging people with individual activities of their preferred choice.

Systems were in place to deal promptly and appropriately with any complaints or concerns raised about the service. The registered manager and registered provider treated complaints as an opportunity to learn and improve.

The home was led by an experienced registered manager and management team. The registered provider had systems in place to monitor the quality of the service, seek people's views and make on-going improvements.

The service had an open culture which encouraged communication and learning. People, relatives and staff were encouraged to provide feedback about the service and it was used to ensure continuous improvement. Staff were motivated to perform their roles and worked to empower people to be as independent and as possible.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

There was a registered manager in place. 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.

People told us they liked living at Kingsley Road. One said staff were "I loves it here” and they can talk to staff whenever they feel like it.

We saw that consent was sought from people about their care.

Each person had a plan of care and support. Support plans explained what the person could do for themselves and what support they needed from staff. Staff told us the care and support plans gave them the information they needed to provide the level of support people required.

Staff had an empowering and empathetic attitude to support people and their personal development. Staff had a detailed knowledge of the people they were supporting and understood when it was appropriate to offer additional support and guidance, and when people needed to assess and resolve situations with little support or gentle guidance. Staff were motivated as a team to ensure people flourished.

People were happy with the care and support they received from staff at the home. We saw records that showed us people chose how to spend their time. Care plans reflected people's individual needs and preferences. Staff were respectful and caring and knowledgeable about people's individual needs.

People were safeguarded from abuse because there were suitable policies and procedures in place and staff were trained. People told us they felt safe in the home and that staff supported them to manage their finances.

We saw that medicines were safely stored and administered. Records relating to medicines were clear and up to date.

Staff underwent a comprehensive induction period and ongoing training which enabled them to effectively support people in their care. Staff were able to identify their own training needs and request additional training if needed.

The service had a warm and welcoming atmosphere where people were encouraged to share their views and opinions. Staff interacted with people in a professional and warm manner.

The service had adequate numbers of staff at all time to ensure people’s needs were met.

People were supported to access external health care professionals to ensure their health and wellbeing was monitored and maintained.

The registered manager carried audits on care planning and there was a quality assurance system at the home. Relatives and staff were positive about the service.

The registered manager and the team shared a commitment to providing an excellent service for people and their relatives.

We also spoke to representative of Portsmouth City Council.

The people we spoke to said they liked living at Kingsley Road. One said staff were 'Nice and kind' and they can talk to their key worker if they feel upset.

We saw that consent was sought from people about their care. Where someone was assessed as not being able to consent to an aspect of their care, we saw that consent was obtained under the relevant sections of the Mental Capacity Act (2005).

We saw records that showed us people who chose to, had busy lives and were supported on an individual basis to choose how to spend their time. Care plans reflected people's individual needs and preferences. People's diverse needs were respected and recorded in their care plans. We saw good examples of this being handled in a sensitive and caring manner.

We observed people interacting with staff and being offered choices about how to spend their time. There was a relaxed and friendly rapport between staff and people using the service. Staff were respectful and caring and knowledgeable about people's individual needs.

People were safeguarded from abuse because there were suitable policies and procedures in place and staff were trained. People told us they felt safe in the home and that staff supported them to manage their finances.

We saw that medicines were safely stored and administered. Records relating to medicines were clear and up to date.

The home has suitable processes in place to monitor the quality of the service.

We observed people and staff during the early evening meal. People were relaxed and chatted to each other and to staff. People were involved in helping in the kitchen. We saw that staff ate with the people living at the home and engaged people in conversation.

People told us they liked living at the home. one person said, 'I'm very happy here.' Two people showed us their rooms, which contained their personal belongings.

We saw that each person's needs were comprehensively assessed and that there were detailed care plans of how people's needs were to be met. These were written with the person's needs and preferences as the focus of any planning. Daily social needs as well as health care needs were included. We saw that people were involved in making decisions about their care.

People attended a range of activities outside the home including college courses and work schemes as part of day services. One person told us how they enjoyed their work on an allotment and the pleasure they got from growing vegetables.

The home had policies and procedures regarding the safeguarding of people. Staff were trained in safeguarding vulnerable adults procedures.

The home had sufficient staff to meet people's needs.

The home had a complaints procedure and there was a record that people were asked at a review if they had any complaints.