Archived: Moss Cottage

Updated 4 July 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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.

The inspection took place on 18 and 25 May 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 24 hours' notice of the inspection visit because the location was a small care home for adults who were not accustomed to having strangers enter their home. We needed to be sure that we would not cause them any unnecessary distress.

The inspection team consisted of an inspector and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. The expert had experience of caring for a person with a learning disability.

Before the inspection the provider completed a Provider Information Return. 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 reviewed the information included in the PIR along with information we held about the service, for example, statutory notifications. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law.

We reviewed records which included three people’s care plans, daily notes and associated records, four staff recruitment and supervision records and records of training. We also looked at records relating to the management of the service such as the Service Improvement Plan (SIP), quality assurance audits, resident meeting minutes, staff rotas and policies including infection control, medicines management and safeguarding.

We observed people receiving care and support in Moss Cottage. We also spoke with the registered manager, three people who lived at the service, three people’s relatives, and four members of staff.

After the inspection the registered manager sent us further evidence to review including staff meeting minutes, a customer satisfaction survey, records of conversations with professionals about procuring specialist mobility equipment and the provider’s statement of purpose.

Updated 4 July 2018

The inspection took place on 18 and 25 May 2018 and was announced.

Moss Cottage is registered to provide accommodation for up to four people who have a complex learning disability and a physical disability. At the time of our inspection there were four people living in the service. There are two floors in the building which is in a suburban area of Liss. A car was provided to transport people living in the home.

At our last inspection we rated the service as good overall, and requires improvement in well-led. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and required improvements had been made to achieve a rating of good in well-led. There was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC 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.

Systems were in place to protect people from avoidable harm and abuse. Staff were aware of their responsibilities and had received the required safeguarding training. There were sufficient numbers of staff to support people's needs and keep them safe. There were safe recruitment processes in place to make sure the provider only employed staff who were suitable to work in a care setting. Risks to people were assessed and recorded in their care plans. Records showed that these were managed safely

There were arrangements in place to store, record and administer medicines safely. People received care from skilled staff who had received the appropriate supervision and training to help develop their knowledge. People were protected from the risk of acquiring an infection. The registered manager recorded accidents and incidents and supported staff to reflect on these to prevent recurrences.

Staff were aware of the legal protections in place to protect people who lacked mental capacity to make decisions about their care and support and implemented them in their practice.

People were supported to maintain a balanced diet. They prepared meals and made choices about food they wished to eat.

People had access to care from relevant health and social care professionals.

Staff had respectful, caring relationships with the people they provided support to. Staff encouraged people to express themselves and promoted their independence, privacy and dignity. Care plans were written in partnership with people and their families where appropriate. They reflected care and support that people required and were regularly updated.

The provider had processes in place for investigating and responding to complaints and concerns. A complaints policy was available to people in an easy read format. People and their relatives told us they knew how to raise a complaint.

People who lived in the home were not receiving end of life care, however, staff had held sensitive discussions with people and their relatives about what they would like to happen as they approached the end of their lives and after they passed away.

Robust systems were in place for monitoring the quality within the service to drive improvements.

Staff worked effectively in partnership with health and social care professionals to improve the service drive improvements in the service and meet people’s needs.