Sandy Hill Court

Updated 26 September 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 completed by one inspector.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to people living in ‘supported living’ settings, so they can live as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support. Care was provided by staff to people living in flats.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. Registered managers and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. They had been in post for two years.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

Prior to the inspection we reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. This included details about incidents the provider must notify us about, such as safeguarding concerns. We sought feedback from the local authority who work with the service. They were happy with the service provided.

The provider completed a provider information return. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with three people who used the service, however people were not able to tell us about their experiences of the care in any detail. We also spoke with four relatives over the telephone. We spoke with three support workers, two senior support workers, an administrator and the registered manager. We reviewed a range of records including two people’s care records and one medication record. A number of other records were reviewed in relation to the management of the service, including quality checks, training records, meeting minutes and accidents and incidents. We looked at two staff files to ensure they had been recruited safely.

Updated 26 September 2019

About the service

Sandy Hill Court is a service which provides care for six people living in a supported living environment. This is a large building comprising eight flats. People supported have complex physical needs, learning disabilities and autism.

Everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.

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.

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

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.

Staff were caring in their approach and had good relationships with people. Promoting independence was a key part of the service and people were encouraged to improve their daily life skills.

There were enough staff to ensure people were safe. Where risks associated with people's health and wellbeing had been identified, plans were in place to manage those risks while ensuring people could remain independent.

Staff understood their responsibility to safeguard people from harm and knew how to report concerns.

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; systems supported this practice.

People received care which was responsive to their individual needs. A keyworker system was in place and staff had a good understanding of how to support them well.

Care records provided staff with information in relation to people’s backgrounds, interests and individual health needs.

The provider ensured care was based upon good practice guidance to help ensure people received an effective service.

As part of a thematic review, we carried out a survey with the registered manager at this inspection. This considered whether the service used any restrictive intervention practices (restraint, seclusion and segregation) when supporting people.

The service used some restrictive intervention practices as a last resort, in a person-centred way, in line with positive behaviour support principles.

Staff encouraged people to maintain a balanced diet and respected their individual choices. The provider and staff team worked closely with external healthcare professionals to ensure people's health and wellbeing was maintained.

A registered manager was in post. Positive feedback was received in relation to the management of the service. People, staff and professionals had opportunities to feedback about the running of the service.

Quality checks were carried out to monitor the service, and these identified where improvements could be made.

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

Rating at last inspection

The service was rated as Good (published 10 March 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.