Unicorn House

Updated 23 November 2023

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

One inspector carried out this inspection.

Unicorn House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Unicorn House is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Notice of inspection

The inspection was unannounced.

What we did before inspection

We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 4 people who used the service and 2 people’s relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 3 members of staff and the registered manager. We reviewed a range of records. These included 4 people’s care records and medication records. We looked at staff records in relation to recruitment, training, supervision, and other records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures and quality assurance records.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 23 November 2023

Unicorn House is a residential care home that offers accommodation and personal care and support for up to 11 adults with learning disabilities and associated mental health issues. At the time of our inspection there were 11 people using the service.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

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

Right Support

People’s needs were assessed, and care and support were delivered in line with current standards to achieve effective outcomes. Risks to people had been assessed to ensure their needs were met safely. People’s individual needs were met by the adaption, design, of the premises. 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.

Right Care

People were supported to express their views and make decisions about their care. People were supported to maintain relationships, follow their interests, and take part in activities that were relevant to them. People had access to health care professionals when they needed them. People’s privacy, dignity and independence were respected and promoted. There was a complaints procedure in place in formats that people could understand.

Right Culture

There was a clear management structure in place and staff said they received good support from the registered manager. Staff were trained in areas related to people’s needs and they received regular supervision from the registered manager. The provider sought people’s views about the running of the home through surveys and meetings. There were systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service and any learning was identified and acted on.

The provider had safeguarding and whistle blowing procedures in place and staff had a clear understanding of these. Robust recruitment checks had taken place before staff started working at the service. There were enough staff available to meet people’s needs.

People’s medicines were managed safely. Staff followed government guidance in relation to infection prevention and control. People’s preferences for their end-of-life care was sought and recorded.

The registered manager and staff worked in partnership with health and social care providers to deliver an effective service.

Rating at last inspection and update

This service was registered with us on 6 October 2022, and this is the first inspection. The last rating for the service under the previous provider was good, published on 24 November 2017.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

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