Southdown Housing Association - 52 Mill Lane provides accommodation and personal care for up to five people with a learning disability and complex needs. The young adults require support with personal care, mobility, health, behavioural and communication needs. There were five people living at the service at the time of our inspection. Accommodation for people is arranged on the ground floor, with a sleep-in room for staff on the first floor. The home was adapted to meet the needs of people living there. Each person had their own adapted bedroom.Southdown Housing Association - 52 Mill Lane is a detached house in Portslade, close to Brighton. The service is one of six residential care homes run by Southdown Housing Association Limited, a not-for-profit specialist provider of care, support and housing services in Sussex.
The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC 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 home is run.
Medicines were not managed safely and in accordance with current regulations and guidance. Systems in place had not ensured that medicines were recorded and stored appropriately. We have identified the issue as an area of practice that needs improvement.
The registered manager and staff had received training and were knowledgeable about of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). However, mental capacity assessments were not always completed in line with legal requirements. Mental capacity assessments were needed for people who may not be able to consent to, for example, bed rails. We have identified these issues as an area of practice that needs improvement.
People appeared happy and relaxed with staff. Relatives told us they considered their loves ones were safe. A relative told us, “If we saw [our relative] unhappy we would not hesitate to talk to [the registered manager] but it’s never happened. We chose Mill Lane and we know it’s a lovely place.”
There were sufficient staff to support people. The registered manager said, “We have just amended staffing levels based on the needs of one of the clients. We used to have sleeping night staff, but due to the complex night time care needs of one of the clients, we agreed we needed waking night staff.”
Staff were knowledgeable and trained in safeguarding and what action they should take if they suspected abuse was taking place
When staff were recruited, their employment history was checked and references obtained. Checks were also undertaken to ensure new staff were safe to work within the care sector.
Staff took time to talk with people and followed practice that was caring and supported the value of dignity. We saw support provided by staff that staff that was kind and compassionate. We were told the following, “The care of [my relative] is very good. Staff are fantastic and adore my daughter. [Named keyworker] genuinely seems fond of all the residents. I’ve heard them sing and provide touch, which is so important, they have taken the time to really build up a bond with residents.”
People had access to appropriate healthcare professionals. Staff worked in cooperation with other
health and social care professionals to ensure that people received appropriate care and support. Staff told us how they had regular contact with the GP if they had concerns about people’s health.
Some people needed specialist support with complex healthcare needs, including PEG feeding. This was required when people could not maintain adequate nutrition with oral intake. Nutritional assessments were in place that identified what food and drink people needed to keep them well and what they liked to eat.
Staff had received essential training and there were opportunities for additional training specific to the needs of the service. Arrangements for the supervision of staff were in place. Staff told us they felt supported. A staff member said, “I get regular supervision and I had a really good induction.”
Systems were in place to monitor the quality of the service provided and regular checks were undertaken on all aspects of running the service. The registered manager had a range of tools that supported them to ensure the quality of the service being provided.
People’s relatives and staff told us it was well-run and organised service. The service was small enough that the registered manager knew each person and staff member well. Staff and family members were positive and spoke highly of the registered manager and their leadership, they described the management style of the service as open. A relative said, “The manager is very approachable and I feel communication is very good here.”