Callisto

Updated 20 August 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

This inspection was carried out by one inspector on the 30 July 2019.

Service and service type

Callisto 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 two managers 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. During our inspection we talked with one of the registered managers who we will refer to in the report. The other registered manager was available for us to talk with if we needed to.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was announced.

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small, and people are often out, and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak 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 spoke with the two people who lived at the service about their experience of the care provided. We also spoke with two members of staff and the registered manager. We reviewed a range of records which included two care plans, three staff files in relation to recruitment, training and supervision. We also reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service.

After the inspection

We contacted four healthcare professionals for their feedback about the service and one relative. We also contacted Healthwatch which is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England.

Updated 20 August 2019

About the service

Callisto is a small residential care home for two people with learning disabilities and/or mental health conditions. Accommodation is provided in a semi-detached building with a small garden area and some parking.

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

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 were being supported by staff who had been recruited safely and had been trained effectively. Staff were aware of the different types of abuse and what action to take if they were concerned. There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty. Medicines were managed safely with safe systems in place to order, store, administer and dispose of medicines. Risks had been identified and risk management plans were detailed and reviewed.

People had their needs assessed which included their healthcare needs. Support was provided to access health services where needed. 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. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

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. People chose how they wanted to live their life and were supported to buy their own food and carry out light domestic activities.

People had their own care plans which were easy read and had pictures to support people to understand them. Communication needs were assessed and recorded in care plans, people had communication protocols in place where appropriate. People had opportunity to engage in social activity and access local services such as the leisure centre. One person had a voluntary job which they did once a week.

Systems were in place to monitor the quality of the service and make improvements where needed. The provider had a good oversight of the service and monitored outcomes. There was a registered manager in post who encouraged staff to share their views. Staff were supported to provide effective care and support. Feedback was gained from people to help develop the service. Partnerships had been maintained with many local healthcare professionals to make sure people got the care and support they needed.

The Secretary of State has asked the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to conduct a thematic review and to make recommendations about the use of restrictive interventions in settings that provide care for people with or who might have mental health problems, learning disabilities and/or autism. Thematic reviews look in-depth at specific issues concerning quality of care across the health and social care sectors. They expand our understanding of both good and poor practice and of the potential drivers of improvement.

As part of 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.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was Good (published 3 March 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.