Sunnyside House

Updated 16 December 2020

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.

As part of CQC’s response to care homes with outbreaks of coronavirus, we are conducting reviews to ensure that the Infection Prevention and Control practice was safe, and the service was compliant with IPC measures. This was a targeted inspection looking at the IPC practices the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 27 November 2020 and was announced.

Updated 16 December 2020

We inspected Sunnyside House on 13 and 14 December 2017. On 9 January 2018 we visited the providers regional offices. Sunnyside House provides accommodation and personal care to 11 people who had a learning disability, mental health needs or were on the autistic spectrum. At the time of our inspection 10 people were living at the home. Sunnyside House is based in rural Gloucestershire on a main road connecting Gloucester to the Forest of Dean. The home has large communal gardens. The service consists of a main house, a bungalow and an annexe. The service is near to a range of local amenities. People were assisted by social care workers with their day to day needs and a range of activities.

This was the first inspection under the current provider registration which started in October 2016. While the provider name had changed the service and its staff had remained the same. At this inspection we rated the service as Good overall.

There was a registered manager in post. 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

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.

People were happy, safe and benefitted from an active and full life. People's ability to be as independent as possible was developed at Sunnyside House. People were supported to take positive risks and to be in control of their care. People knew what their medicines were for and social care workers ensured people had their medicines administered safely. There were enough staff so that people could undertake the activities they wished and be supported in meeting their individual needs.

People where possible were involved in writing and reviewing their care plans, which were tailored to their individual needs. People were at the centre of their care. Their social care workers knew people well and knew how to support them with their goals. People's achievements were documented and celebrated. The registered manager and staff looked for opportunities to offer people that would help them grow, gain confidence and live a fulfilled life. People were able to participate in the quality assurance processes of their home and could undertake a variety of different training offered by the provider.

People and those important to them were closely involved in developing the service. People were enabled and encouraged to maintain and develop employment and volunteering experiences and to develop links with the community.

Social care workers were well supported and had the benefit of a training programme which enabled them to ensure they could provide people with the best possible care and support. Social care workers understood and worked to the values of the registered manager and the provider and put people at the heart of everything they did. Staff were supported to develop professionally through dedicated management training programmes.

The service had a strong leadership presence. They were committed and passionate about the people they supported and were constantly looking for ways to improve. The home and the registered manager had significant support and guidance from the provider. Thorough and frequent quality assurance processes and audits ensured that all care and support was delivered in the safest and most effective way possible.