This inspection took place on 30 June 2016 and was unannounced.Carlton Road is situated in the north Nottinghamshire market town of Worksop, within walking distance of the town centre. The service provides accommodation, care and support for up to nine people with learning disabilities. On the day of our inspection 9 people were using the service.
The service had a registered manager. 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. The person referred to in this report as the manager is the person who has applied to CQC to become the registered manager for the service.
People who used the service and those supporting them knew who to report any concerns to if they felt that they or others had been the victim of abuse. Risks in relation to people’s daily life and the places they visited, were assessed and planned for to protect them from harm. There were enough staff with the right skills and experience to meet people’s needs and plans in place in the event of staff shortage. Medicines were stored, administered and handled safely so that people received their medicines as prescribed.
People were supported by staff who had the knowledge and skills to provide safe and appropriate care and support. Staff received supervision of their work. People were enabled to make decisions and staff knew how to act if people did not have the capacity to make decisions. People spoke positively about the food, choosing what they ate, and being supported to maintain a healthy diet. Staff monitored and responded to people’s health conditions, with people having access to their GP and other health care professionals as needed.
People were supported by staff who were caring and treated them with kindness, respect and dignity. Where people showed signs of distress or anxiety, staff responded to them quickly and provided reassurance. People were supported to access an independent advocate if they wanted to. There were no restrictions on friends and relatives visiting their family members. People could have privacy when needed.
People and their relatives were involved with the planning of their care and support provided. Care plans were written in a way that focused on people’s choices and preferences. Regular monitoring of people’s assessed needs was conducted to ensure staff responded appropriately. People were able to access the activities and hobbies that interested them. A complaints procedure was in place and people felt comfortable in making a complaint if needed.
People were involved in giving their views on how the service was run. There was a positive atmosphere within the home and people were encouraged to contribute to decisions to improve and develop the service. Robust auditing and quality monitoring processes were in place. The service continually strived to improve the quality of the service that people received.