The Corner House

Updated 21 December 2019

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

The Corner House 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.

There was a registered manager working at The Corner House. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the 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. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with three people who used the service and two relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with three members of staff including the registered manager and care workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care and medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We analysed additional information provided by the registered managers.

Updated 21 December 2019

About the service

The Corner House is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to three people aged 18 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to three people.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

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

The service provided to people was safe. Staff had been trained in safeguarding and had a good understanding of how to support people to remain safe. The risks posed to people had been assessed and suitable action had been taken to minimise the risk posed to people using the service. The administration and management of medicines was safe. There were sufficient numbers of staff working at the service and recruitment practices in the home ensures suitable staff were recruited.

Staff had received training which was relevant to their role. People were supported to access support from health professionals when required. They could choose what they liked to eat and drink and were supported on a regular basis to participate in meaningful activities.

Staff were kind and caring and were motivated to offer person centred care. People and relatives told us staff were caring. The principles of respect, dignity, compassion and, equality and diversity were embedded in the service. People were treated as equals regardless of age, gender or personal beliefs.

The service was responsive to people’s needs. Care plans were person centred and reflected people’s individual needs. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of people’s individual needs and were able to explain how they would support people in a personalised manner. People’s daily records contained good levels of detail and provided evidence of person-centred care. The service had a robust complaints procedure. We saw that where complaints had been made, these had been managed effectively.

The service was well led. People, staff and relatives praised the registered manager for their management of the service. Quality assurance checks had been established and identified actions to improve the service. The registered manager sought feedback from people and their relatives to improve the service. The culture within the service was positive and focussed on providing person centred care.

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 .

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was Good (published 12 May 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.