Segal Gardens

Updated 25 January 2022

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 is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of CQC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at how services manage infection control and visiting arrangements. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection prevention and control measures the provider had in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.

This inspection took place on 14 January 2022 and was announced. We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection.

Updated 25 January 2022

What life is like for people using this service:

Segal gardens has three separate houses; Segal Gardens, Oakwood and Berrybridge. Each house had their own team of core staff to ensure consistency for people living there. People received care and support from staff that knew them extremely well, and had the knowledge and skills to meet their individual needs whilst providing a better quality of life.

The service had worked hard to ensure that people could live harmoniously amongst each other and be supported by staff they felt comfortable with. Through extremely detailed initial assessments the service ensured they were able to provide the right support before moving into the home. People already living in the home were provided with support to prepare them for new people arriving; this helped to provide a smooth transition for all involved.

A holistic approach had been adopted in the assessing, planning and delivery of people’s care and support. Care plans were extremely detailed and identified intended outcomes for people. Staff provided excellent care and support that was met in a way people preferred and provided consistent and positive outcomes that exceeded expectations. Staff worked hard to provide a consistently better quality of life for people by supporting them to develop in areas such as communication, social interaction, education and independence. People spoke highly of the support provided and told us how they had achieved improvements in their own abilities, independence and confidence.

People were supported to live enriched lives and do what they chose. Staff encouraged them to be as independent as possible whilst ensuring they remained safe. Risks that people faced were identified and assessed and measures were put in place to manage them and minimise the risk of harm occurring. Staff showed a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities for keeping people safe from harm. Medicines were managed safely and people received medication at the right time. Family members told us they felt extremely confident their relatives were safe.

Staff showed a genuine motivation to deliver care in a person-centred way based on people’s preferences. The management team and staff had developed strong, familiar and positive relationships with people and family members. Throughout the inspection the management team and staff were observed to be warm and affectionate towards people and often displayed physical contact that was appropriate and accepting from people. Family members described staff as being extremely caring and that the service ‘went the extra mile’ for people to ensure they lived a good quality life.

The leadership of the service promoted a positive culture that was person centred and inclusive. Family members and staff all described the management team as supportive and approachable. The management team showed a continued desire to improve on the service and worked closely with other agencies and healthcare professionals in order to do this. Effective systems were in place to check on the quality and safety of the service and improvements were made when required.

Rating at last inspection: Good (report published 4 May 2016)

About the service: Segal Gardens is registered to provide personal care and accommodation for up to 15 young adults with complex needs. They are located in the Parr area of St. Helens. There were 12 people living at the service on the day of inspection.

This service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin 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.

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection.

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