Tunhill

Updated 27 June 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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team:

This inspection was completed by one adult social care inspector.

Service and service type:

Tunhill is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

This service is required to have a manager registered with CQC. If a manager is registered with CQC, this means both the manager and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. The registered manager of Tunhill had recently left the service. At the time of this inspection, the deputy manager was managing the home with support from the area manager and other registered managers within the providers group. The provider said interviews for a new registered manager were being held the week after this inspection.

Notice of inspection:

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did:

Prior to the inspection visit we gathered information from several sources. We also looked at the information received about the service from notifications sent to the Care Quality Commission by the provider. We asked the provider to complete 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.

We contacted health and social care commissioners who help arrange and monitor the care of people living at Tunhill. We also contacted Healthwatch Sheffield. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used the feedback we received from these organisations to plan our inspection.

During our inspection we spoke with three people living at the home. In addition, we telephoned three relatives of people living at the home to obtain their views of the support provided. We spoke with the deputy manager, three senior support workers and a registered manager from another of the providers care homes who attended Tunhill to support the deputy manager with the inspection about their roles and responsibilities.

We looked around different areas of the service; the communal areas, bathrooms, toilets and with their permission one person’s room.

We observed the daily life in the home including the care and support being offered to people. We looked at two people’s care and medicine records, three staff records and other records relating to the management of the home such as training records and quality assurance audits and reports.

Updated 27 June 2019

About the service: Tunhill is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to four people living with a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder. The home is situated in Sheffield, South Yorkshire near local shops and public transport. At the time of inspection four people were using the service.

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: People were protected from the risk of abuse. Staff knew how to recognise, and report abuse if required.

Risks associated with people’s care were identified and actions taken to minimise risks occurring. Accidents and incidents were monitored to ensure any trends and patterns were identified and addressed.

The service had enough staff available to meet people’s needs. There was a safe recruitment process in place.

People received personalised support from staff who knew them well. People’s likes, dislikes and social histories were recorded in their care records. This helped staff care for them in a personalised way.

Staff were competent, knowledgeable and skilled. They received regular training, supervisions and appraisals which supported them to conduct their roles effectively.

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 were happy with the food provided at Tunhill and said staff encouraged them to eat healthily whilst maintaining choice.

People had opportunities to engage in a variety of suitable activities both at home and out in the community, including household tasks, hobbies and leisure activities. Staff supported people to go on holidays and day trips.

The provider had an effective complaints procedure in place. People and their relatives knew how to complain if they needed to.

The provider and deputy manager supported the staff and ensured people received appropriate care. Staff we spoke with felt supported by the deputy manager and provider and felt valued. Audits were in place to identify areas which required attention and action plans were devised as needed. People and relatives told us the home was managed well and had confidence they could approach staff and management if they needed to.

Rating at last inspection: Good (report published 16 December 2016).

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

Follow up: We will continue to monitor the service to ensure that people receive safe, compassionate, high quality care. We plan to complete a further inspection in line with our re-inspection schedule for those services rated good. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.

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