CareTech Community Services Limited - 7 Russell Hill

Updated 11 December 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. We checked 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 a single inspector.

Service and service type

CareTech Community Services Limited- 7 Russell Hill 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. This was because the service is small and people are often out and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

Inspection activity started on 23 August 2019 and ended on 24 October 2019.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. 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 of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection-

We spoke with two people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with six members of staff consisting of the registered manager and five care workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including quality monitoring documents.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and policies and procedures. We spoke with three relatives of people using the service and one professional who regularly visited the service.

Updated 11 December 2019

CareTech Community Services Limited- 7 Russell Hill is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to adults with learning disabilities and autism.

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.

The service was a large house, bigger than most domestic style properties. It was registered for the support of up to 11 people. This is larger than current best practice guidance. However, the size of the service having a negative impact on people was mitigated by the building design fitting into the residential area and the other large domestic homes of a similar size. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate it was a care home. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

The provider strove to ensure people participated in activities they enjoyed, that improved their wellbeing and helped them to stay in touch with their families despite some considerable difficulties. Staff produced, detailed and holistic plans of people’s care and worked hard to devise creative ways of communicating with people. There was a clear complaints procedure and the registered manager ensured these were responded to appropriately. The registered manager took reasonable action to determine people’s end of life care needs.

The provider took thoughtful action to maintain people’s privacy and dignity, often in difficult circumstances. Staff ensured people’s equality and diversity was respected and promoted. The provider was creative in ensuring people were involved in decisions about their care and empowered them to share their experiences of using the service and living with their conditions to others. The provider worked hard to encourage people to develop their independent living skills.

The provider ensured people were protected from the risk of abuse and risks to people’s health and safety were assessed and mitigated. There were enough staff available to provide people with personalised care. Pre- employment checks were conducted with candidates to ensure they were safe to work with people. People’s medicines were managed safely and the provider acted reasonably to protect people from the risk of infection. Accidents and incidents were investigated and staff learned from these.

People’s needs were assessed before they moved into the home and care was delivered in line with current standards and professional advice. The premises were appropriately designed and decorated to meet people’s needs. The provider ensured people’s health and nutritional needs were met and they had access to healthcare services.

The provider ensured morale was high among staff took action to engage and involve people and staff in the running of the service. The registered manager understood and acted appropriately in accordance with their responsibility to be open and honest. The registered manager and care workers understood and fulfilled their roles. The provider assessed the quality of the service and took appropriate action to improve the quality of care.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 3 February 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.