26 October 2017
During a routine inspection
1 Wellswood Drive is part of the Lady Verdin Trust and is registered to provide accommodation for three people who require support and care with their daily living. At the time of our inspection visit two people were living at the service.
The service had a registered manager. 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.
On our last visit in May 2015 the service was rated as good. This inspection identified that the service continued to meet all the relevant fundamental standards and the rating remains good.
Family members told us they felt people were safe living at the service. Systems were in place to protect people from the risk of harm. Staff were knowledgeable about safeguarding people from abuse and protecting their rights. Staff were confident that they could raise any matters of concern with the registered provider or the registered manager and that they would be addressed appropriately.
People received good care and support from staff who knew them well. Robust recruitment processes were followed and there were sufficient qualified, skilled and experienced staff on duty to meet people’s needs. The registered provider ensured consistency in care as a dedicated team of staff supported the same people. This enabled people and their family members to build good working relationships and develop confidence in the support provided.
Staff understood how to meet the needs of those individuals they supported. Support plans contained relevant information to enable staff to meet and promote people’s individual needs. A new support plan document was in the process of being introduced by the registered provider to assist staff to record more detailed information about people’s personal preferences. Support plans we reviewed promoted the involvement of the person or other important people such as family members.
There were safe systems in place for the management of medicines. Medicines were administered safely and administration records were up to date. People received their medication as prescribed and staff had completed competency training in the administration and management of medication.
Risks had been appropriately assessed and staff were provided with guidance on how to protect people and themselves from each identified risk. Support plans were regularly reviewed to ensure information about people was up to date and accurate.
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 support this practice.
The registered provider’s complaints procedure was robust and made accessible to people and their relevant others in a variety of formats such as a pictorial guide to raising complaints. Family members told us that they had never had reason to raise a complaint but were confident their concerns would be acted upon.
Staff were caring and they always treated people with kindness and respect. Observations showed that staff were respectful of people’s rights, choices, privacy and dignity and encouraged people to maintain their independence. Staff were skilled in recognising and using peoples preferred methods of communication.
Staff worked well with external health and social care professionals to make sure people received the care and support they needed. Staff were responsive in meeting changes to people’s health needs.
Staff received support through supervision and team meetings which enabled them to discuss any matters, such as their work or training needs. There was a programme of planned training which was relevant to the work staff carried out and the needs of the people who used the service.
The service was well managed and quality assurance systems were in place to ensure people received a safe and effective service. We were notified as required about incidents and events which had occurred at the service.