Archived: The Thimbles

Updated 10 January 2017

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 13 December 2016. One inspector undertook this inspection.

Before the inspection the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service. It asks what the service does well and what improvements it intends to make. We reviewed the PIR and checked the information that we held about the service and the service provider. This included the last inspection report and statutory notifications sent to us by the registered manager about incidents and events that had occurred at the service. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send to us by law. We used all this information to decide which areas to focus on during our inspection.

During our inspection we observed how staff interacted with people. We looked at how people were supported in the communal areas of the home. We also looked at plans of care, risk assessments, incident records and medicines records for one person. We looked at training and recruitment records for one member of staff. We also looked at staffing rotas, minutes of meetings with people and staff, records of activities undertaken, menus, staff training and recruitment records, and records relating to the management of the service such as audits and policies and procedures.

We spoke with two of the three people who lived in the home to ask them their views of the care and support provided. We also spoke with three relatives, a senior carer and the registered manager.

The service was last inspected on 7 May 2014 and there were no concerns.

Updated 10 January 2017

The Thimbles is a residential care home which is registered to provide accommodation for up to three people living with a learning disability. Nursing care is not provided. The home is an old cottage and a listed building, which is situated close to the railway station in Barnham, Bognor Regis. On the day of our visit there were three people living at the home.

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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People told us they felt safe with staff. Relatives had no concerns about the safety of people. There were policies and procedures regarding the safeguarding of adults and staff knew what action to take if they thought anyone was at risk of potential harm.

Potential risks to people had been identified and assessed appropriately. There were sufficient numbers of staff to support people and safe recruitment practices were followed. Medicines were managed safely.

Staff had received all essential training and there were opportunities for them to study for additional qualifications. All staff training was up-to-date. Team meetings were held and staff had regular communication with each other at handover meetings which took place between each shift.

The CQC monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which applies to care homes. Two people living at the home were currently subject to DoLS. We found the registered manager understood when an application should be made and how to submit one. We found the provider to be meeting the requirements of DoLS. People were generally able to make day to day decisions for themselves. The registeredmanager and staff were guided by the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) regarding best interests decisions should anyone be deemed to lack capacity.

People were supported to have sufficient to eat and drink and to maintain a healthy diet. They had access to healthcare professionals. People’s rooms were decorated in line with their personal preferences.

Staff knew people well and positive, caring relationships had been developed. People were encouraged to express their views and these were communicated to staff in a variety of ways – verbally, through physical gestures or body language. People were involved in decisions about their care as much as they were able. Their privacy and dignity were respected and promoted. Staff understood how to care for people in a sensitive way.

Care plans provided information about people in a person-centred way. People’s personal histories had been recorded and their preferences, likes and dislikes were documented so that staff knew how people wished to be supported. There was a variety of activities and outings on offer which people could choose to do. Complaints were dealt with in line with the provider’s complaints procedure.

Weekly and monthly checks were carried out to monitor the quality of the service provided. There were regular staff meetings and feedback was sought on the quality of the service provided. People and staff were able to influence the running of the service and make comments and suggestions about any changes. Regular one to one meetings with staff and people took place. These meetings enabled the registered manager and provider to monitor if people’s needs were being met.