Archived: Crompton Drive

1 Crompton Drive is a residential service which provides accommodation and personal care for a maximum of three people. At the time of the inspection one person was living at the home.

A registered manager was not in post. However the manager of the home was in the process of applying to become the 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.

We saw that medicines were stored safely and securely in the person’s bedroom and that staff maintained a record of administration. However, we saw that the records in relation to medicines contained conflicting and confusing information.

You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of this report.

Risk to the person living at the home was appropriately assessed and recorded in care records. We saw risk assessments relating to; clothing, medicines, eating–out and fire. Each risk assessment focused on maximising the person’s independence while safely managing any risks and had been recently reviewed.

Accidents and incidents were recorded in appropriate detail and assessed by the manager. The manager was required to submit information electronically to the provider. The information was then analysed by a specialist team to identify patterns and triggers.

The home had sufficient staff to meet the needs of the person living there. Staff were recruited safely subject to the completion of appropriate checks.

The home had a robust approach to safety monitoring and employed external contractors to service and check; gas safety, electrical safety and fire equipment.

Staff had the skills and knowledge to meet the needs of the person living at the home. Staff were required to complete a programme of relevant training. The training matrix provided indicated that all training required by the provider was up to date.

The majority of staff were given regular formal supervision which was recorded on their file. However, we saw from records that one member of staff had not received formal supervision recently.

The person living at the home was supported to maintain good health by accessing a range of community services.

Throughout the inspection we observed staff interacting with the person in a manner which was kind, compassionate and caring. We saw that staff spoke regularly with the person living at the home. They explained what they were doing and discussed their needs and activities. Staff knew the needs of the person well.

Privacy and dignity were protected and promoted by staff. Staff spoke with respect about the person living at the home and promoted their dignity in practical ways. We saw that staff respected the person living at the home and understood their rights in relation to privacy and dignity.

Relatives were free to visit at any time. The property was set-up as a family home with different areas where people could entertain visitors in private if they chose. Decoration, fixtures and furniture made the building feel homely and welcoming.

Care records showed that assessment and care planning were completed in the presence of the individual where possible and involved staff and other social care professionals.

We saw that the person’s individual preferences and personality was reflected in the decoration of their bedroom and in shared areas of the home. The person living at the home was supported to follow their interests and to maintain relationships with family members and other people in the local community.

The home had a complaints procedure and a complaints book available to people living at the home and visitors. The records that we saw indicated that no formal complaints had been received in the previous 12 months.

The manager implemented an approach to quality monitoring which was appropriate for the size of the home. In conjunction with the senior support worker they undertook regular monitoring of; staff performance, satisfaction and the physical environment and addressed issues as they arose.

The manager supported the inspection process in conjunction with a senior support worker. They were honest about issues identified during the inspection process and subsequently provided evidence and re-assurances that specific issues had been rectified.

Staff were clearly motivated to do their jobs and enjoyed working at the home. Staff understood their roles and demonstrated that they knew what was expected of them.

They told us 'the team is brilliant, we think. When I leave (my relative) I don't worry I think that she is safe, that is a massive thing for any family'.

There were two people who currently lived at the home and they had both been there since 2009. They both had complex learning disabilities and were unable to contribute to our report. We observed interaction between them and staff on duty and it was clear that their needs were well known to staff.

We asked staff what it was like working at 1 Crompton Drive and they told us:

'I love it. I enjoy the job. I have been in the job since I was 16yrs. I enjoy taking the service users out. Staff are really nice we just all get on' adding

'because I've got to know them (the people who lived at the home) so well it doesn't really feel like a job just something I do'.

'The manager is very hard working. She takes good care of each client and worker. She doesn't take any nonsense. She is looking to everything being perfect'.

The people living at Crompton Drive had limited verbal communication but could communicate in a number of other ways. They were supported by their families and people who knew how to communicate with them when decisions needed to be made about their care and welfare. They were represented in their best interests when it was appropriate to do so.

The people who lived at Crompton Drive were cared for by staff who were appropriately recruited, trained and experienced at supporting them.