Southlands

Updated 10 February 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.

The inspection took place on 20 and 29 December 2017 and was announced. We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because the location was a small care home for younger adults who are often out during the day. We needed to be sure that they would be in. The inspection team consisted of an inspector 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. The expert-by-experience who took part in the inspection had specific experience of caring for people with a learning disability.

Prior to this inspection we reviewed all the information we held about the service, including data about safeguarding and statutory notifications. Statutory notifications are information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. Before the inspection, the registered manager completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

As part of the inspection we spoke with the registered manager, the provider’s behavioural specialist, two care staff, the six people living at the service and two relative’s about their experience of the service. We asked four health care professionals for their feedback of the service.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two peoples support plans and records including care planning documentation, risk assessments, positive behaviour support plans and medicine records. We looked at documentation that related to staff management and staff recruitment including three staff files. We also looked at records concerning the monitoring, safety and quality of the service.

Updated 10 February 2018

Southlands provides accommodation for people who require personal care. Southlands is a large detached house providing support to six people with learning disabilities and/or autism. There were six people living in the service when we inspected.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

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.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager at the service. 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 received a personalised service which put them at the centre of their care and support. People took charge of the way they wanted to be supported by staff. Support plans contained specific guidance to inform staff how the person wanted to be supported whilst maintaining and increasing their independence. People were treated with kindness by staff who respected their privacy and dignity.

There were arrangements in place to keep people safe and to help safeguard people from the risk of abuse. Risks assessments were individual to people’s needs and aimed to minimise risk whilst promoting people’s independence. People received their medicines safely. People were protected by the prevention and control of infection where possible. Accidents and incidents were monitored and recorded.

There were enough staff on duty with the right skills to meet people’s needs. Staff received the training and support that they needed to carry out their responsibilities in delivering care and support that was effective and responsive. Recruitment practices were safe and checks were carried out to make sure staff were suitable to work with people who needed care and support.

People’s needs and choice had been assessed prior to and following moving into the service. Care and support was planned with people and their relatives and regularly reviewed to ensure people continued to have the support they needed.

Staff understood their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 [MCA] and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards [DoLS]. People were supported to have maximum choice and control over their lives and staff supported people in the least restrictive way as possible.

People had access to food that they enjoyed and were able to access drinks and snacks throughout the day. People’s nutrition and hydration needs had been assessed and recorded. Staff supported people to meet their specific dietary needs. Staff ensured people remained as healthy as possible with support from health care professionals, if required.

The provider ensured the complaints procedure was made available in an accessible format if people wished to make a complaint. Systems were in place to monitor the quality of the service being provided to people. They were a range of checks and audits carried out to ensure the safety and quality of the service that was provided to people.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.