Jenny’s House is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and personal care as a single package under a contractual agreement with the local authority, health authority or the individual, if privately funded. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.Jenny’s House provides accommodation and personal care for people who have a learning disability. Respite care is provided for people who have a learning disability and/or autistic spectrum disorder. The periods of respite care may be for a few days or longer depending on the individual's needs. Jenny’s House is an adapted detached residential property which can accommodate up to eight people. The service is situated in a residential area of Clacton on Sea and is close to amenities and main bus routes. The premises are set out on three floors with each person using the service having their own individual bedroom and adequate communal facilities are available for people to make use of within the service. At the time of our inspection three people were using the service.
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.' Registering the Right Support CQC policy.”
At our last inspection of this service on 08 December 2015 the service was rated Good. At this inspection, we found the evidence did not continue to support the rating of good and that the overall rating for the service was now Requires Improvement. The areas of Effective, Responsive and Well Led were rated as requires improvement at this inspection. We identified one breach of regulation at this inspection. This was in relation to governance. Systems for quality oversight were not fully established to show sustainability. We additionally made recommendations for the registered provider to address staff supervision, personalised care planning and training.
A registered manager was in post however was not present at the inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
Staff did not always receive the support, supervision and guidance from the management team that they required The exploration of other formats of learning for staff other than on line training would enhance staff’s competence in their role. We have made a recommendation regarding this.
At the time of our inspection medicines were observed to be administered safely. Systems were in place for the ordering, obtaining and returning of people's medicines. Staff had received training in the safe administration of medicines and their competency had been assessed by a member of the management team.
A variety of methods were used to ensure the care staff were kept up to date with people's needs.
People felt safe and were protected from the potential risk of harm and abuse. Staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding people and followed the provider's policy and procedure. People's personal belongings were protected from the potential risk of theft.
Potential risks to people had been assessed and steps were taken to reduce any risks. The premises were well maintained and equipment had been regularly serviced to ensure it was in good working order.
There were enough staff deployed to keep people safe and meet their needs. Staff were recruited safely following the provider's policy and procedures. Staff received training to meet people's needs including their specialist needs, however we have recommended that a formal staff rota be available and explore different formats of training delivery other than that of on line e learning.
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People's safety in the event of an emergency had been assessed, with guidance to inform staff how to keep people safe. Accidents involving people were monitored with action taken to prevent the risk of reoccurrence.
People were protected from the risk of infection with cleaning schedules in place to promote the prevention and control of infection.
People's needs were assessed prior to them receiving a service. People received a caring service which was responsive to their needs. Care plans could be better personalised as they were lacking some essential information and in the process of being updated. People were involved as they were able in the development and review of their care plan but this could be more prominent as some care plans we noted were not signed. Guidance was in place to inform staff of how to meet people's needs whilst encouraging and promoting their independence.
People were encouraged to make their own choices about their lives. 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 were kind and caring towards people. Staff respected people's privacy and dignity. Staff knew people well and had knowledge about people's histories, likes and dislikes. People's equality, diversity and human rights were promoted and respected.
People were supported to take part in a range of activities to meet their needs and interests.
People were supported to express their views and were involved in the development of the service they received.
Complaints were investigated and responded to in line with the providers policy.
Quality audits and governance processes were not fully formalised and in place to enable continuous improvement in the quality of the service provided and to ensure that learning was shared.
It is a legal requirement that a provider's latest CQC inspection report rating is displayed at the service where a rating has been given. This is so that people, visitors and those seeking information about the service can be informed of our judgements. We found the provider had displayed their rating on a notice board in the entrance hall.
Further information is in the detailed findings below. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report