5 December 2018
During a routine inspection
The inspection was unannounced took place on 5 and 10 December 2018.
There was a registered manager in place. 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.
At our last inspection we rated the service Good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of Good overall. There was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. We have written this inspection report in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.
People continued to receive a safe service and were protected from potential harm or abuse. Risk assessments were in place and had been regularly reviewed. Staff were aware of the measures in place to reduce risks to people. Recruitment checks were completed to ensure staff were suitable to work in this type of service. Staffing levels were good which ensured that people’s needs were met in a timely way. People received their medication as prescribed. Accidents and incidents were monitored to help prevent a reoccurrence. Infection control measure were in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection.
People continued to receive an effective service. Staff received an induction, training and support which gave them the skills and knowledge they required to support people effectively. Staff supported people to eat and drink sufficient amounts to help maintain their health and wellbeing.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and were asked to consent to their care. People were supported to access healthcare professionals when required.
People continued to receive care and support from staff who were kind, caring and compassionate. Staff respected people’s privacy and dignity and knew people well. People were supported to remain as independent as possible. People’s relatives and visitors were welcomed at all times, including social events held at the service. People could access the services of an independent advocate if required.
People continued to receive a service that was responsive to their changing needs. People and their relatives were fully involved in the development, planning and ongoing review of their care and support. Support plans were personalised and included information about people’s life histories, and family involvement. People choose what activities they wanted to participate in and how they spent their time. People and their families knew how to raise any concerns and were confident they would be dealt with appropriately. Many compliments had also been received.
The service continued to be well-led, by a registered manager who led by example, and was open, transparent and inclusive. The culture of the service was ‘people first’ and they were at the centre of everything that happened at the service. There were a range of quality assurance systems and processes in place to monitor the service. People’s views were sought and these were taken into account when considering the development or improvement of the service. The service worked in partnership with other organisations which included the local authority and GP’s which helped provide people with holistic care.
Further information is in the detailed findings below.