Max Potential

Updated 29 December 2023

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by 1 inspector, a regulatory coordinator, and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Max Potential is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and personal care and/or nursing as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Max Potential is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours' notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small, and people are often out, and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

Inspection activity started on 6 December 2023 and ended on 8 December2023. We visited the location's service on 6 and 7 December 2023.

What we did before the inspection

We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with the registered manager, the senior staff coordinator, the assistant manager, and the medicines manager.

We received feedback from 4 people who used the service and spoke to 4 relatives about their experience of the support provided. Some people were not always able to communicate verbally with people effectively; we tailored our communication to suit people's preferences. We also observed people's support and their interactions with staff to understand their experience, for example, through observing people's body language.

We received feedback from 7 support staff. We reviewed 2 people's support records, including the administration of medicines. We looked at 5 staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. We reviewed records and audits relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures.

We asked the registered manager to send us documents before and after the on-site inspection. These were provided in a timely manner and this evidence was included as part of our inspection.

Updated 29 December 2023

About the service

Max Potential is a care home providing personal care to people with a learning disability and autistic people. The service accommodates 4 people on a permanent basis. At the time of the inspection 4 people were using the service.

People's experience of using this service and what we found

The provider had processes in place to support people with end-of-life decisions but did not always record people’s wishes effectively. We made recommendations about recording people’s end-of-life plans.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. 'Right support, right care, right culture' is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

Right Support:

Staff supported people with their medicines in a way which promoted their independence and achieved the best possible health outcome. The temperature medicines were stored at were not always monitored. However, this was rectified by the provider at the time of the inspection. Staff supported people to play an active role in maintaining their own health and wellbeing. All relatives felt people we safe and happy at Max Potential.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff focused on people's strengths and promoted what they could do, so people had a fulfilling and meaningful everyday life. People had a choice about their living environment and were able to personalise their rooms.

Right Care:

The provider had robust safeguarding systems which included working alongside other agencies when things went wrong. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it. People could communicate with staff and understand information given to them because staff supported them consistently and understood their individual communication needs.

People could take part in activities and pursue interests tailored to them. The provider gave people opportunities to try new activities which enhanced and enriched their lives.

People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people's privacy and dignity. They understood and responded to their individual needs. Staff understood how to protect people from poor care, abuse, and harm.

Right Culture:

People told us they felt safe and knew how to raise concerns. Staff supported infection prevention and control processes. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs and recruitment processes ensured staff were suitable to work with vulnerable people.

People, and those important to them, were involved in planning their support. Managers ensured risks of a closed culture were minimised, so people received support based on transparency, respect, and inclusivity.

People’s health and nutrition needs were supported, and staff were aware of their responsibility to promote people’s rights. Systems were in place to monitor quality and safety.

People received a good standard of care, support, and treatment because trained staff and specialists could meet their needs and wishes. Staff placed people's wishes, needs, and rights at the heart of everything they did.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was good (published 11 January 2018).

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection as part of a random selection of services rated Good and due to the length of time since the service was last inspected.

Recommendations

We have made recommendations about the recording of people’s end-of-life wishes.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.