Dimensions 95 New Wokingham Road

Updated 13 March 2019

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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This comprehensive inspection took place on 18 and 28 January 2019 and was unannounced. Two inspectors carried out day one of the inspection and one inspector carried out the second day.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed previous inspection reports and notifications we had been sent by the provider. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law.

During the inspection, we spoke with four people, some of whom were only able to give us limited feedback about their experiences of receiving care. We also spoke with the registered manager, the deputy manager and two care staff.

We looked at care plans and associated records for three people and records relating to the management of the service. These included two staff recruitment files, records of complaints, accidents and incidents, and quality assurance records. We observed care and support being delivered in communal areas.

The home was last inspected in June 2016 where the service was rated good.

Updated 13 March 2019

This inspection took place on 18 and 28 January 2019 and was unannounced.

Dimensions 95 New Wokingham Road is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Dimensions 95 New Wokingham Road accommodates up to four people with learning disabilities in one adapted building. There were four people at the service at the time of inspection.

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.

At our last inspection, we rated the service good. At this inspection, we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

The service had a registered manager in place at the time of our inspection. 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.

The registered manager also managed one of the provider’s other services and divided their time between the two homes. There was a clear management structure in place which meant that there was enough support in place for staff.

The registered manager had effective systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service. This included having effective procedures around fire and emergency situations to help keep people safe.

There were systems in place to reduce the risk of infections spreading. The home was clean and hygienic.

Risks to people in relation to their health and medical conditions were assessed and mitigated. This included any risks associated with eating and drinking. Where risks were identified, the provider had systems in place to promote people’s wellbeing and good health.

There were policies and procedures in place to protect people from the risk of suffering abuse or harm.

There were enough staff deployed to meet people’s needs. The provider had robust recruitment procedures in place to help identify suitable staff.

Staff received training, support and development in their role. The registered manager monitored staff’s ongoing performance and there were systems in place to ensure staff understood their responsibilities and duties

Staff were knowledgeable and were attentive to people’s needs. People were treated with dignity and respect and the atmosphere at the service was calm and homely. The home was suitable for people’s needs.

People received personalised care and were supported to live active lives. People were given choices about how their care was delivered and were given opportunities to plan activities to achieve their ambitions.

Staff understood the need to gain consent to care. 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.

People had access to healthcare services as required and the provider worked in partnership with healthcare professionals to meet people’s ongoing needs.

People’s care plans were detailed and contained sufficient information for staff to help them meet people’s needs.

The registered manager regularly sought feedback from people and staff about how to make improvements to the service. There were systems in place to ensure complaints were handled appropriately.