Walsingham House

The service is a care home and provides personal care and accommodation for up to four people living with a learning disability. The home has two floors, a communal lounge, dining area and conservatory. At the time of our inspection there were four people living at 33 Walsingham Drive.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Staff knew people well, and, overall, protected them from identified risks of harm or injury. However, some risks had not been identified and did not have risk management plans for staff to refer to.

People had their prescribed medicines available to them and were supported with these by trained staff. People received their medicines as prescribed. However, staff had not been aware of specific guidance related to medicines given through a skin patch.

The home was maintained and had ongoing plans for décor refurbishment. Overall, there was a good level of cleanliness and, overall, risks of cross infection were controlled. However, there were a few areas where improvements were needed to make sure risks of cross infection were minimised.

There were processes to audit the quality of the service to ensure a safe service was provided. However, some checks and audits did not always identify where improvements were needed.

We gave feedback to the registered manager about issues we identified during our inspection visit and they assured us immediate actions would be taken to make the improvements needed.

People were happy and felt safe living at the home. They, and their relatives, gave us positive feedback about the care and support they received from staff.

People’s needs were assessed, and staff were trained to meet people’s care and support needs.

People had choices about drinks and what they ate for their meals and their nutritional needs were met. The provider understood the importance of promoting healthy eating and of promoting people’s independence whenever possible.

People were supported to access healthcare professionals when needed.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensured that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

People were supported to take part in activities and pursue hobbies.

Staff understood the importance of giving people choices. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People felt cared for by kind staff who had the skills they needed and responded to their needs. People had individual plans of care and felt involved in making choices about their day to day care needs.

People and their relatives had no complaints about the services they received.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at the last inspection

The last rating for this service was Good (published 17 August 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our inspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.

Walsingham House is registered to provide care and accommodation to a maximum of four people with learning disabilities, or autistic spectrum disorders, physical disabilities or people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection visit there were three people living at home.

At the last inspection on 23 June 2015 and 9 July 2015 the service was rated overall as Good however ‘Effective’ was rated as Requires Improvement At this inspection we found all areas were now ‘Good’.

There was a registered manager at the home. 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.

At our previous inspection, the provider was not aware of the changes made to the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). During this inspection we found the provider, registered manager and staff understood their responsibilities under the MCA and the DoLS, and people’s rights were protected in accordance with the Act. Staff offered people choice and respected their decisions.

People received a choice of meals and drinks that met their individual needs and were supported to attend healthcare services when needed.

People told us they felt safe living at Walsingham House and relatives agreed with them. Staff understood their responsibilities to protect people from the risk of abuse. The provider checked staff’s suitability for their role before they started working at the home. There were enough staff to support people safely inside the home and in the wider community.

Risks associated with people’s care was identified and care was planned to minimise the risks to people. Medicines were managed, stored, administered and disposed of safely.

People were supported by a stable staff team who knew people well and had the skills and training to meet their needs. Care records contained information to enable staff to deliver care and support based on the individual needs and preferences of each person. Some care records lacked detail which the registered manager was addressing. People and relatives, where appropriate, were involved in planning and reviewing their care and support.

People were supported to maintain relationships with people who were important to them and were encouraged to follow their interests and take part in meaningful social activities. Staff respected people’s privacy and dignity and encouraged people to maintain their independence.

People and relatives were complimentary about the quality of care they received and the way the home was managed. Staff felt supported and valued by the management team. The provider and registered manager completed regular checks to monitor the quality of service provided and invited people and relatives to share their views about the service. The provider used feedback to ensure the service continually improved.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.