The inspection was unannounced and took place on 31 January 2015. The last inspection of the home took place in September 2013 and no breaches of regulations were found at this time.
The home provides care and accommodation for six people who have autism and learning difficulties.
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.
We found that people in the home were safe. Staff were trained in safeguarding adults and reported feeling confident about identifying and reporting any issues of concern. People weren’t able to speak with us about their experiences, however we observed that they looked settled and at ease in the presence of staff.
People received safe support with their medicine which were stored and administered safely and clear records were kept.
There were systems in place to support people in a safe way. This included having risk assessments in place to guide staff in the best ways to support people. There were also systems in place to manage risks to the environment, for example by checking fire safety equipment and having regular drills.
There were sufficient numbers of suitably trained staff to ensure that people’s needs were met.
People received care that was effective. Staff were trained and received regular supervision to help them carry out their roles. Training was tailored to the needs of people with autism; for example training in hypersensitivity and behaviour that challenges was provided.
People’s nutritional needs were met and people were supported to maintain a healthy diet. Where people had particular dietary requirements, these were supported by staff.
Staff worked with other healthcare professionals when necessary, for example dentists and psychiatrists. This ensured that people received specialist support when required.
Staff had training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005. This is legislation that protects the rights of people who are unable to make decisions independently about their own care and treatment. We saw that the principles of this legislation were followed; for example when consenting to the support that the staff provided. The provider had also protected people’s rights by applying for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) authorisation from the local authority for people in the home. DoLS applications are made when it is felt that a person needs to be deprived of their liberty in order to keep them safe and there are no other less restrictive options available.
Staff were kind and caring in their approach and encouraged people to maintain their independence where possible. People were treated with dignity and respect. People were given opportunity to express their opinions about the support they received.
People were supported by staff who were knowledgeable about their particular needs. People had support plans in place which were evaluated regularly to ensure they were up to date.
People had regular opportunities to go out in the community and to attend day services at another home run by the provider.
There had been no formal complaints received by the registered manager; however there were policies and procedures in place to manage complaints if needed.
Staff were very positive about the organisation and the support they received. Staff felt confident about raising any issues or concerns and had opportunity to discuss these at staff meetings.
The registered manager identified and responded to concerns about people in the home through regularly reviewing people’s support.
We found that notifications were not always made when required. Without receiving notifications, the Commission cannot effectively monitor people’s safety and whether their rights are being protected.