Archived: Sunnyside House

Updated 22 June 2016

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 25 and 27 May 2016 and was unannounced. One inspector carried out this inspection. The provider had completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also reviewed information we have about the service including notifications. A notification is a report about important events which the service is required to send us by law. We reviewed comments that relatives and social and health care professionals had made on the provider’s website.

As part of this inspection we spoke with seven people living in the home, a representative of the provider, the registered manager and eight care staff. We reviewed the care records for three people including their medicines records. We looked at the recruitment and selection records for four new members of staff and also staff training records. We checked quality assurance systems including health and safety records. We observed the care and support being provided to people and people showed us their rooms. We contacted seven health and social care professionals and asked them for their feedback about this service.

Updated 22 June 2016

This inspection took place on 25 and 27 May 2016 and was unannounced. Sunnyside House provides care for up to 11 people with a learning disability and mental health needs. Orchard End Limited, the provider, is part of Choice Care Group. People and staff at Sunnyside House have access to management support and resources from Choice Care Group.

At the time of our inspection there were eight people living at Sunnyside House which is situated on the main road in the village of Birdwood. Sunnyside House provides accommodation in the main house, a bungalow and an annexe for one person. People in the main house had their own bedrooms, they shared bathrooms and shower rooms and shared a living room, dining room and kitchen. The house was detached and set in its own grounds.

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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People’s care was highly personalised reflecting their personal preferences, aspirations, likes and dislikes. They were involved in the planning of their care and support through meetings with staff and when planning reviews of their care. People had access to information in easy to read formats, produced using photographs, pictures and plain English to help them understand their care records as well as health guidance, safeguarding and complaints information. They also had access to digital versions of these guides and there were plans to produce audio formats. People were supported to make choices about their day to day lives. Any restrictions which were in place were done with their agreement or in their best interests. When needed deprivation of liberty authorisations had been granted. People were helped to manage their feelings and emotions by staff who really understood them and knew how to support them to regain a sense of calm. People led full and meaningful lifestyles accessing activities of their choice in the local community and their home. People were supported to try out voluntary work and paid employment opportunities at Sunnyside.

People were supported by staff who were recruited safely ensuring they had the right skills, knowledge and aptitude to work with them. Staff were encouraged to develop professionally and had access to a comprehensive training programme. They said they felt supported in their roles and had individual meetings to reflect on their performance and their training needs. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs. Staff worked flexibly to make sure people’s day to day commitments were met. Staff were confident about raising safeguarding concerns and how to manage these as well as using the provider’s whistle blowing procedure.

Sunnyside was well managed. The registered manager was supported by a management team who staff said were “cohesive and work well together”. They strove to make improvements to people’s experience of their care and support. This was done in response to feedback from people and staff as well as implementing actions in response to the quality assurance audits which were in place. People were confident expressing concerns to staff or the registered manager. The registered manager was according to staff, “very service user led” and “a very supportive and approachable manager”.