Background to this inspection
Updated
15 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. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team:
The inspection was conducted by one inspector.
Service and service type:
Creative Support - Balshaw is a ‘care home’. 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 service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection:
We gave the service 24 hours' notice of the inspection visit because it is small and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection site visit activity started on 21 May 2019 and ended on 22 May 2019. We visited the home on both days.
What we did:
Our inspection was informed by evidence we already held about the service. We also checked for feedback we received from members of the public and the local authority. We also checked records held at Companies House.
Our plan took into account information the provider sent us since the last inspection. We also considered information about matters the provider must notify us about, such as events involving injury. We obtained information from the local authority commissioners and safeguarding team and other professionals who
work with the service.
We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection we visited the home and met people. We also saw the registered manager, provider's representative and care staff. We reviewed care records and policies and procedures. We reviewed four people's care records, three staff recruitment and personnel files, staff training documents and other records about the management of the service.
After the inspection we continued to seek clarification from the provider to corroborate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with a relative whose loved one regularly stayed at the home and one professional who visits a person who used the service.
Updated
15 June 2019
About the service:
Creative Support - Balshaw is a residential short-term break service that provides care to up to five adults with learning difficulties. Some people may have other disabilities. At the time of the inspection there were two people staying at the service with three more people booked in to visit on the second day of the inspection.
People's experience of using this service and what we found:
People were supported to be safe and said that they felt safe.
Staff received robust safeguarding training and had a good understanding of the principals involved in taking action when abuse was suspected.
The provider had a robust recruitment process that meant staff were recruited safely.
Medicines were managed safely.
There was an open and transparent culture in relation to accidents and incidents and they were used as opportunities to learn and reduce risks.
People's needs were met through robust assessments and support planning.
The service worked with healthcare and social professionals to achieve positive outcomes for people.
Staff and carers had good knowledge and skills which helped to ensure people's needs were well met.
We saw good examples of when people had been supported to maintain a healthy and balanced diet
People told us carers and staff were compassionate and kind.
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.
Staff and carers expressed commitment to ensuring people received high-quality care.
Carers and staff knew people well.
People received care and support that was person-centred.
We saw good examples of how the care and support people received enriched their lives through meaningful activities.
The service was proactive in its response to concerns or complaints and people knew how to feedback their experiences.
The registered manager planned and promoted holistic, person-centred, high-quality care resulting in good outcomes for people.
The values and culture embedded in the service ensured people were at the heart of the care and support they received.
Staff told us they received good support from management. They told us they were proud to work for the service.
There was an open and transparent culture and people were empowered to voice their opinions.
The principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance ensure people with a learning disability and or autism who use a service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best outcomes that include control, choice and independence. At this inspection the provider had ensured they were applied.
The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support in the following ways -
People's support focused on them having choice and as many opportunities as possible in a respite setting. e.g. People had choice in the food they ate or at what times meals were served and could continue with their activities and interests whilst living at the home.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection:
At the last inspection, the service was rated good (published 3 December 2016).
Why we inspected:
We carried out this inspection based on the previous rating of the service.
Follow up:
We will continue to review information we receive about the service until we return to visit as part of our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.