Bell Lane

Updated 16 March 2019

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

Inspection team:

The inspection was carried out by an inspector.

The service had a manager who had applied to become 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.

Service and service type:

Bell Lane 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 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.

What we did:

Before the inspection, we had received a completed Provider Information Return (PIR) in May 2018. The PIR asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed the PIR and other information we held about the service as part of our inspection. This included the notifications we had received from the provider. Notifications are changes, events or incidents the provider is legally obliged to send CQC within required timescales. We contacted commissioners and other professionals to gather their views about the service. We received no concerns about the service.

During inspection:

We spoke with the manager, the project manager, three people who used the service, four support workers and one visiting health care professional. We carried out general observations in the communal dining/lounge. We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and one person’s medicines records. We also looked at recruitment checks for two staff and the staff training matrix. We reviewed records relating to the management of the service, this included accidents and incident data, quality monitoring reports and a variety of policies and procedures developed and implemented by the provider.

Updated 16 March 2019

About the service:

Bell Lane is a residential care home that provides accommodation for nursing or personal care to three younger adults with learning disabilities and associated conditions at the time of the inspection. Nursing care was not provided.

People’s experience of using this service:

Some of the people who used the service had complex needs and they did not express their views verbally. During the time we spent with people we saw they appeared comfortable with staff. Other people told us they felt safe with staff support.

Staffing levels were sufficient to meet people’s needs safely and flexibly. Staff knew about safeguarding procedures. Appropriate checks were carried out before staff began to work with people. People received suitable support to take their prescribed medicines.

Risks were assessed and managed. Positive risk taking was encouraged as people were supported to take acceptable risks to help promote their independence.

We have made a recommendation that best practice guidance is followed with regard to the use of aids, adaptations and electronic equipment for people who are registered blind. In order to further promote their independence.

Staff had a good understanding and knowledge of people’s care and support needs. They received the training they needed and regular supervision and support. People were supported to access health care professionals when required.

People were involved in decisions about their care. They 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. Information was accessible to involve people in decision making about their lives.

Staff knew the people they were supporting well. Care plans were in place detailing how people wished to be supported and people were involved in making decisions about their care. Staff had developed good relationships with people, were caring in their approach and treated people with respect.

People had food and drink to meet their needs. There were opportunities for people to follow their interests and hobbies. They were supported to be part of the local community.

Staff were well-supported due to regular supervision, annual appraisals and an induction programme, which developed their understanding of people and their routines. Staff also received specialised training to ensure they could support people safely and carry out their roles effectively.

There were opportunities for people, relatives and staff to give their views about the service. Staff said the new manager was approachable. The provider undertook a range of audits to check on the quality of care provided.

More information is in the full report: www.cqc.org.uk

Why we inspected: This was the first inspection of the service since it was registered in November 2017.

Follow up: We will monitor all intelligence received about the service to inform the assessment of the risk profile of the service and to ensure the next planned inspection is scheduled accordingly.