Yewbank

Updated 13 March 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.

The inspection was unannounced and took place on 31 January 2018.The inspection was completed by two inspectors.

We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return (PIR). This is information we require providers to send us to give us some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

We looked at all the information we have collected about the service. This included the previous inspection report and notifications the registered manager had sent us. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to tell us about by law.

We looked at paperwork for three people who live in the service. This included support plans, daily notes and other documentation, such as medication and financial records. In addition we looked at records related to the running of the service. These included a sample of health and safety, quality assurance, staff and training records.

We spoke with four people who live in the service and observed interactions between them and the care staff. We spoke with two staff members and the registered manager. We requested information from five professionals including the local safeguarding team. We received responses from one of them.

Updated 13 March 2018

This was an unannounced inspection which took place on 31 January 2018.

Yewbank is a care home (without nursing) which is registered to provide a service for up to five people with learning disabilities. People had other associated difficulties such as being on the autistic spectrum.

People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a 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.

Yewbank accommodates people in a purpose built domestic sized building. The service was run 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 can lead as ordinary a life as any citizen.

At the last inspection, on 21 December 2015, the service was rated as good in all domains. This meant that the service was rated as overall good. At this inspection we found the service remained good in all domains and the service remained overall good.

Why the service is rated good.

There is a registered manager running the service. 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 the people in their care from all forms of abuse. They were trained in safeguarding people and knew what action to take if they identified any concerns. General risks and risks to individuals were identified and appropriate action was taken to reduce them, as far as possible. Additionally peoples', staff and visitors safety was taken seriously and actions were taken to assist people to remain as safe as possible.

People continued to be supported by adequate staffing ratios. These met people’s specific needs, including any special needs, safely. Recruitment systems were in place to make sure, that as far as possible, staff recruited were safe and suitable to work with people. People were supported to take their medicines, at the right times and in the right amounts by trained and competent staff.

People’s varied and diverse needs were met by a well-trained and knowledgeable staff team. Staff dealt effectively with people’s current and changing health and emotional well-being needs. The service worked closely with health and other professionals to ensure they were able to meet people’s needs in the most effective and comfortable way for the individual.

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 were supported by a caring and committed staff team who continued to meet people’s needs with kindness and respect. They ensured they promoted people’s privacy and dignity and communicated with them effectively.

The service remained person centred and responsive to people’s needs, wishes and aspirations. Activity programmes were designed to meet people’s individual preferences, choices and aspirations. Care planning was highly individualised and regularly reviewed which ensured people’s current needs were met and their equality and diversity was respected.

The registered manager was well liked and respected. She and the management team ensured the service continued to be well-led. She was described as approachable and very supportive. The registered manager and the staff team were committed to ensuring that discrimination in any form was not tolerated.The quality of care the service provided was constantly assessed, reviewed and improved.