16 November 2021
During a routine inspection
Pendarves provides care and accommodation for up to four people who have autistic spectrum disorders. The service is part of the Spectrum group who run several similar services throughout Cornwall. At the time of the inspection three people were living at the service. The service was based in a large semi-detached house in a residential area of Camborne.
People's experience of using this service and what we found
Pendarves had been through a period of unsettled management. The new manager had been promoted into their position two months before our visit. Whilst staff had felt the impact of these changes and did not feel supported by the provider organisation, they told us they continued to be part of a strong team.
People were supported by a manager and stable staff team who knew them well and were committed to ensuring high quality, person centred care. There were usually sufficient staff to achieve this and staffing had not fallen below levels deemed safe by the provider.
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.
This service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of right support, right care, right culture.
Right support:
• Two people shared communal space and another person lived in their own flat. Their support was designed to enable them to live the lives they chose. People were supported to develop and maintain their independence
Right care:
• The support people received was person centred. Staff promoted people’s dignity and treated them respectfully. They understood people’s needs and provided security and encouragement.
Right culture:
• The staff at Pendarves were committed to ensuring people were leading the lives they wanted. The staff team were open with each other and willing to challenge and be challenged to achieve this goal. People were treated with dignity, respect and care.
Staff described their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding with confidence. People told us they felt safe.
Medicines were managed safely. People received their medicines when needed and appropriate records had been completed. People had access to healthcare professionals.
Risks to individuals and the environment were managed effectively and people’s views informed their risk management plans. There were systems in place to record, monitor and review accidents and incidents to reduce future risks.
Staff development was supported through induction, support and guidance from colleagues and the manager, and training relevant to the needs of the people they cared for was provided.
Infection control procedures and measures were in place to protect people from infection control risks associated with COVID-19.
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 did support this practice.
People's care and support needs were assessed and reviewed. People worked with their keyworkers, and the staff communicated effectively with each other, to ensure care plans remained relevant and ensured consistency.
There were systems in place to monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service provided to people. People and staff contributed to these systems within the home. People told us they knew how to raise concerns and complaints, and staff explained they encouraged this. No complaints had been made in the year before our visit.
The manager and staff team were open and transparent and acted on feedback given, and queries raised, throughout the inspection.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The rating at the last inspection was Good. (Published August 2018)
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns in relation to staffing levels across the organisation. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.
We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from these concerns.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our reinspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.