Archived: The Gables

Updated 2 November 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 21 September 2016 and was unannounced. One inspector carried out the inspection.

Before the inspection, we reviewed information we held about the service including statutory notifications sent to us by the registered manager about incidents and events that occurred at the service. Statutory notifications include information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. We used all this information to inform the planning of the inspection.

During the inspection we spoke with two people using the service. We spoke with eight staff including a team leader, operations manager and six members of care staff. We looked at care records and medicine administration record (MAR) charts of five people. We reviewed management records of the service including incident reports, safeguarding concerns and audits to monitor the quality of the service. We viewed records relating to five staff including training, supervision and appraisal records. We checked feedback the service had received from people, their relatives and healthcare professionals.

We undertook general observations and formal observations using the short observation framework for inspections (SOFI) during the lunchtime meal. SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

After the inspection, we received feedback from three relatives and five healthcare professionals.

Updated 2 November 2016

The Gables provides personal care, support and accommodation for to up to five people with learning disabilities. This unannounced inspection took place on 21 September 2016. At the time of the inspection five people were using the service.

We last inspected The Gables in January 2014. The service met all the regulations we checked at that time.

The service has a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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.

Staff understood how to protect people from abuse. Staff assessed and reviewed people's needs and put plans in place on how to support them. Staff identified risks to people's health and had sufficient guidance on how to manage those risks safely. The service recorded and monitored accidents and incidents to identify how to minimise the risk of reoccurrence.

There were sufficient staff on duty to meet people’s needs. Staff were recruited safely. Managers were supportive and approachable and encouraged a culture of learning and staff development.

Medicines were managed appropriately and administered by competent staff. Staff knew each person well and understood how to meet their needs. Staff encouraged people to do as much as possible for themselves.

Staff provided people’s care and support in line with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). People consented to the care and support they received. Decisions were made in people's 'best interests' if they were unable to do so.

Staff were supported to develop their knowledge and skills to meet people's needs. Staff received specialist training on working with people with learning difficulties. Staff had regular supervisions on their performance and agreed on development plans.

People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff were polite to people and communicated effectively with them. People and their relatives were involved in planning and making decisions about their care and had input in review meetings. Care plans were person centred and reflected individual's preferences. Staff supported people to pursue their hobbies and interests.

Staff upheld people's dignity. They appropriately supported people in line with the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

People had access to the health care they needed. People were supported to have enough to eat and drink. Staff followed professional guidance regarding people’s nutritional needs. Staff knew people’s food likes and dislikes and met their preferences.

The registered manager sought people's views about the care they received and used their feedback to develop the service. Staff supported people to make their views and wishes known. People and their relatives were happy about how staff supported people. People and their relatives knew how to make a complaint and felt confident to raise a concern with the registered manager or staff.

The service carried out checks and audits to monitor the quality of care provided to people. The registered manager took action to address any areas that required improvement.