New House

Updated 12 December 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 checked whether the provider is 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 inspection took place on 24 October 2018 and was unannounced. The inspection was carried out by two inspectors and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Before the inspection we reviewed all the information we held about the service. This included information we received from safeguarding and statutory notifications since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the commissioners of the service before our visit. The registered provider also completed a provider information return (PIR). This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and what improvements they plan to make. We used this information to help us plan the inspection.

During the inspection we spoke with the registered manager, three care staff, the quality assurance manager and one visiting professional. We spoke with five people who used the service and three relatives. We looked at two people's care records, two staff recruitment files, staff training and supervision records. We also looked at records in relation to the management of the service, including quality audits, surveys and development plans.

We used the Short Observational Framework for inspection (SOFI) SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

Updated 12 December 2018

This inspection took place on 24 October 2018 and was unannounced.

New House is ‘care home’ registered to provide accommodation and support for up to eight adults who may have a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. At the time of the inspection there was eight people living there.

At our last inspection in March 2016, we rated the service overall good. At this inspection, the evidence continued to support the overall rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and on-going 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.

Medicines were managed safely and staff had a good knowledge of the medicine systems and procedures in place to support this. Staff had been recruited safely and training was provided to meet the needs of people. Staff received supervision and annual appraisals. There was sufficient staff available to ensure people’s well-being and security was protected.

Staff received training on safeguarding adults from abuse and understood their responsibility to protect people from the risk of harm. The registered manager closely monitored all safeguarding matters. Accidents and incidents were responded to appropriately and monitored by the registered manager and quality assurance team. The service was clean and infection control measures were in place.

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

People’s nutrition and hydration needs were catered for by trained staff who understood their needs well.

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.

People and their relatives were complimentary about the service. They were full of praise for the management and care staff and told us that they were kind, caring and compassionate towards them. There was a strong culture within the service of treating people with dignity and respect. People and the staff knew each other well and these relationships were valued by people who used the service.

The service was run very much around the needs of those living there. The registered manager and staff team demonstrated a commitment to person centred values. People’s wider support needs were met through the provision of a varied programme of activities. Staff were committed to ensure people were supported to maintain relationships important to them.

There was a complaints policy and procedure made available to people who received a service and their relatives. Feedback was sought from people and their relatives and this was positive.

There was a range of quality audits in place that were monitored by the quality assurance team. These were up-to-date and completed on a regular basis. Staff told us the manager was approachable and they felt proud to work in the service.

The premises of the service had been adapted to meet the needs of the people living there. There were systems in place to ensure the safety of the premises.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.