Background to this inspection
Updated
4 April 2020
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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team:
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type:
Atkinson Grove 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 site visit because the service provides short breaks for people and we wanted to be sure there would be people available to meet with us.
What we did before the 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 met and spent time with all three people using the service. The people we met were unable to verbally communicate with us, however we carried out observations of the care and support they received and spoke with a family member.
We looked at three people’s care records and a selection of medication and medication administration (MARs). We looked at other records including quality monitoring records, recruitment and training records and other records relating to the management of the service.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to corroborate evidence found. We looked at recruitment and training records. We spoke over the telephone with two family members.
Updated
4 April 2020
About the service:
Atkinson Grove Chance for a Break Service is based in a residential area of Huyton and run by Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council. The service provides short term respite care for up to four adults with a learning disability.
The size of service meets current best practice guidance. This promotes people living in a small domestic style property to enable them to have the opportunity of living a full life.
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 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; promotion of 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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found:
People were protected from the risk of abuse and harm and staff understood their responsibilities for keeping people safe. Risks to people and others was safely managed and people were supported to take positive risks as part as an independent lifestyle. Medicines were safely managed and given to people at the right time. Learning took place from accidents and incidents.
People’s needs, and choices were assessed and regularly reviewed. People received care and support from the right amount of skilled and experienced staff. People received the support they needed to eat well and stay healthy.
People were supported to have 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’s independence, privacy and dignity was promoted. Staff were kind, caring and compassionate. Staff knew people well and had formed positive and trusting relationships with them and their families. People were regularly asked what they thought about their care and support.
People received the care and support they needed. People knew how to complain and were confident about speaking up. The premises were in keeping with other properties in the neighbourhood. There were aids and adaptations to meet people's physical needs but it lacked colour and items of interest for people with sensory needs. The registered manager confirmed there were plans in place to address this.
Managers promoted a culture which was person-centred and inclusive of all and they were supportive and approachable. There was good partnership working with other professionals. The quality and safety of the service was checked regularly, and improvements were made when needed.
Rating at last inspection:
The last rating for this service was good (published 27 September 2017).
Why we inspected:
This was a planned inspection.
Follow up:
We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.