Archived: 37 Wilcot Road

Updated 16 November 2018

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 inspection took place on 9 and 11 October 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection visit. We gave this notice because, due to the size of the service, we wanted to be sure the registered manager would be available. We also wanted to cause minimal disruption to the person living at the home. The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

We looked at the information that we hold about the service prior to our inspection. The provider did not meet the minimum requirement of completing the Provider Information Return at least once annually. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we made the judgements in this report.

During the inspection we spent time at the service observing staff interacting with the person living there. We spoke to the registered manager, development director, two members of staff and contacted 2 healthcare professionals. Following our site visit we spoke with one relative.

We looked at the person’s care and support plan, activity records, risk assessments, medicines administration records, three staff recruitment files, quality assurance audits and other records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 16 November 2018

This inspection was announced and took place on 9 and 11 October 2018. 37 Wilcot Road 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. This was the service’s first inspection since registration.

37 Wilcot Road is a small residential home for one person with a learning disability. At the time of our inspection one person was living at the service. The home was a semi-detached property with a small garden located in Pewsey.

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.

There was a registered manager in post. 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.

Medicines were not always managed safely. Temperatures had not been taken in rooms where medicines were stored. This did not ensure that medicines were being stored at the correct temperature. Hand-written entries on medicines administration records had not been signed by staff to confirm accuracy. Not all the medicines stored at the service had been signed in to check they were as prescribed.

Recruitment was not always safe. Whilst most pre-employment checks had been completed, a full employment history had not always been obtained. Where employment references might indicate negativity, the decision-making process about accepting them was not available.

Activities were provided but lacked variety. There was no formal activity plan in place to support staff to know what to do day to day.

Quality monitoring was not robust. Whilst there was a monthly managers audit tool which was being used, this had not produced any action plans to address identified shortfalls. Audits completed did not identify the issues which we have found. Feedback had not been sought to evaluate the service and make improvements.

People were protected from abuse as staff understood how to recognise the indicators of concern and how to report their concerns. Risks had been identified and there were safety measures in place. The service was very clean and there were systems in place to minimise the risk of infections and the spread of infection.

Needs had been assessed and the provider had worked in partnership with professionals to support the person to move to their new home. Staff had been visiting the person in their previous environment to get to know them. Health needs were supported by timely access to healthcare professionals.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice. Staff had been trained and understood the general requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005).

There were sufficient numbers of staff deployed. Staff were kind and caring and had developed good relationships with the person. Communication was supported by staff who adapted their approach where needed. Staff had been trained and had access to formal supervision.

We have made a recommendation about recording formal supervision for staff.

The person’s care plan was detailed and person-centred. It covered a range of needs with guidance for staff to be able to offer personalised support. There was sufficient food and drink available. Staff provided good support to the person at mealtimes.

There was a complaints procedure in place which was also available in different formats.

Staff felt supported by the provider and management and enjoyed working at the service. There were opportunities for the staff to develop.

We found two breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.