Little Acres

Updated 5 April 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 was planned to check 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 was a comprehensive inspection that took place on 21 February 2018 and was unannounced. The inspection visit was carried out by one inspector. We used information we held about the service and the provider to assist us to plan the inspection. This included notifications the provider had sent to us about significant events at the service. We also used information the provider sent us in the 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 improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection we spoke with five people who used the service and two visiting relatives for their experience of the service. Due to people’s communication needs their feedback about all aspects of the service was limited in parts. We therefore spent time observing how staff interacted with people and how they supported and cared for them. We did this to understand people's experience of living at the service. We also spoke with four members of care staff, the regional manager and the registered manager. We did this to gain people's views about the care and to check that standards of care were being met.

We looked at three people’s care records to see if their records were accurate and up to date. We also looked at records relating to the management of the service including quality audits of medicines, the control of infection and safety of the premises.

Updated 5 April 2018

We inspected this service on 21 February 2018. Little Acres is a care home for people with a learning disability, physical and sensory needs, including autistic spectrum disorder. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. 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.

Little Acres provides accommodation and or personal care for up to 25 people. The accommodation is provided in a two-storey adapted house with garden and patio seating areas. At the time of our inspection, 23 people were living at the home.

At our last inspection we rated the service Good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of Good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing 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.

People continued to receive safe care. People were protected from the risk of avoidable harm by staff who understood their responsibilities to identify and report any signs of potential abuse. We saw that incidents and accidents were investigated thoroughly to ensure lessons were learnt. Risks associated with people’s care and support were managed safely and relatives were confident their family members were safe and well cared for. People received their medicines when needed and there were suitable arrangements in place in relation to the safe administration, recording and storage of medicines. There were sufficient, suitably recruited staff to meet people’s needs.

People continued to be effectively supported by staff that were trained and supported to meet their specific needs. 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 had sufficient amounts to eat and drink and were supported to access other health professionals to manage their day to day health needs. The home environment was adapted to meet people’s needs and preferences.

The care people received remained good. People had positive relationships with the staff who were kind and caring and supported them to make choices about their care. People’s privacy, dignity and independence were promoted at all times. People were encouraged to maintain their important relationships.

The service remained responsive. People received personalised care that met their individual needs. Staff understood people’s diverse needs and encouraged them to take part in activities that they enjoyed. People and their relatives were able to raise any concerns or complaints and were confident these would be acted on.

The service remained well led. There were suitable systems in place to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service. The provider encouraged people, their relatives and staff to give feedback on how they could make improvements in the service. This was acted on wherever possible.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.