White Leaf Support Limited

Updated 5 September 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 inspection took place on 11 and 13 July 2018 and was unannounced. The inspection was carried out by one inspector and one expert by experience. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks for some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements that plan to make. We also checked other information that we held about the service including notifications we received from the service. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required by law to tell us.

We contacted health and social care professionals to seek their views of the service. We received feedback from one social care professional.

During the inspection we met the people living at the service and spoke with four of them. We spoke with four relatives who were visiting at the time of our inspection. We also spoke with the director of the service, the compliance officer, the registered manager and five members of care staff. We reviewed five people’s care plans and viewed records for the management of medicines, staff training, complaints and how the provider monitored the quality of the service.

Updated 5 September 2018

White Leaf Support provides care and accommodation at 8 and 10 Priory Avenue for up to 13 people with either learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorders. At the time of our inspection 13 people used the service. One house accommodated people who were more independent and the other house supported people with more complex support needs.

The inspection took place on 11 and 13 July 2018 and was unannounced. At our last inspection the provider was in breach of regulations this was in relation to Regulation 9 HSCA RA Regulations 2014 Person-centred care. Visual communication tailor made for the people who used the service was not available. Regulation 12 HSCA RA Regulations 2014 accidents and incidents were not always recorded or followed up to keep people safe. Regulation 17 HSCA RA Regulations 2014 Good governance. The service did not have effective systems to regularly monitor the quality of care people received.

Following the last inspection, we asked the provider to complete an action plan to show what they would do and by when to improve the key questions in safe, effective, responsive and well led to at least good.

At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was now meeting these regulations

White Leaf Support 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 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.

The service is required to have a registered manager to manager the service. 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. At the time of our inspection a registered manager was in post.

Parents reported the service had improved in the last three months and the atmosphere was much more positive and upbeat. One parent told us, “Staff are brilliant, and their hearts are in the right place. I can really feel how conscientious, professional and warm hearted the staff are.”

Staff understood their responsibilities in relation to reporting concerns and incidents. Systems were in place to manage medicines, safeguarding people from abuse and managing behaviours that challenge.

We saw there were sufficient staff available to ensure people’s safety was protected. Recruitment procedures were robust to only appoint suitable staff with the right skills and attitude.

Staff were trained, supervised and appraised. There was an induction and development programme which supported staff to gain the relevant knowledge and skills.

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 were supported to eat and drink to meet their needs and to make informed choices about what they ate.

People were supported to take part in a range of social activities to provide stimulation, and social contact. On both days of our inspection people were supported to attend community activities and social events.

The service had a comprehensive maintenance programme to ensure the service was a safe place to work and live.

Regular on-going health checks were carried out and people were supported to attend appointments. The service was responsive to people’s needs and staff referred people to health professionals when required.

Concerns or complaints were responded to appropriately. The provider demonstrated an open management style and provided leadership to the staff team. Staff reported they felt supported and felt they could question practice without incrimination.

Systems were in place to assess and monitor the quality and safety of the service to ensure people were receiving appropriate care and support.