Archived: Blackwood Road

Updated 8 March 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 was planned to check 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.

This inspection took place on 3, 5 and 8 January 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because we wanted to ensure people would be available to speak with. The inspection team consisted of one adult social care 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.

On 3 January 2018 an expert by experience telephoned relatives. On 5 and 8 January 2018 an adult social care inspector attended the service.

The service had a dedicated manager who was based at the service and a registered manager who also had responsibility for another registered service.

We reviewed other information we held about the service, including any statutory notifications we had received from the provider. Notifications are changes, events or incidents that the provider is legally obliged to send us within the required timescale. We also contacted the local authority commissioners for the service and the local authority safeguarding team, the local Healthwatch and the clinical commissioning group (CCG). Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). 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 looked at care records for three people who used the service. We examined documents relating to recruitment, supervision and training records and various records about how the service was managed.

We spoke to two people who used the service, four relatives, the registered manager, the manager and four staff members. As part of the inspection we undertook a number of different methods to understand the experiences of people who used the service. Some of the people who used the service had complex needs which limited their communication. This meant they could not always tell us their views of the service so we sought the views of four relatives.

We carried out an observation using the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a specific way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us. We undertook general observations of how staff interacted with people as they went about their work. We looked around the home, visited people’s bedrooms with their permission and spent time with people in the communal areas.

Updated 8 March 2018

This inspection took place on 3, 5 and 8 January 2018 and was announced. The inspection was announced to ensure people who used the service would be present.

Blackwood Road is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Blackwood Road accommodates up to seven people in one adapted building. At the time of inspection the service was providing support and care for seven people with a learning disability, as well as people with a physical disability.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.” Registering the Right Support CQC policy.

The service had a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (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.

At the last inspection, the service was rated good. At this inspection we found the service remained ‘Good’ and the responsiveness of the service had improved to outstanding.

People and relatives were without exception extremely positive about the care and support provided. The service was adaptable and responsive to people’s individual needs and choices, empowering people to live as full lives as possible. Information was provided in a range of accessible formats to assist people in understanding the care available to them. Relatives we spoke with, our observations and records we viewed clearly demonstrated that people received highly personalised care. People had choice and control over how their needs were met. Staff listened to people and worked with them to achieve their goals from preparing cakes, planning a holiday to researching and locating a family member’s grave.

The provider had systems in place to ensure people were protected from abuse and harm. Staff had completed safeguarding training and were aware of the provider’s whistleblowing process. Safeguarding concerns were fully investigated with appropriate action taken. Risk assessments were specific to the person and identified the risk and the actions needed to be taken to keep the person safe. Medicines were managed safely. Sufficient well trained staff were available to ensure people’s needs were met promptly. The provider ensured checks were in place to maintain the safety of the home. Systems were in place to ensure people would remain safe in the event of an emergency.

The home was well maintained and decorated to a high standard. People and relatives were consulted in the choice of décor. People were supported to personalise their own rooms. The service supported people to gain access to healthcare professionals. People were promoted to eat a healthy balanced diet.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Relatives told us staff were kind and caring. People were treated with respect and dignity. Staff had extensive knowledge about people, their preferences, interests and people important to them. People were involved in all aspects of decision making about their care and treatment. People were encouraged to be as independent as possible.

External healthcare professionals told us the service provided exceptional end of life care, stating staff went that ‘extra mile.’ A relative told us, “They were all amazing. The care [relative] received was outstanding.”

Care plans were person centred and provided staff with clear information on how to support people in line with their preferences. Staff worked well together. Staff told us they were supported by the management team. The provider had an effective quality assurance processes to monitor the quality and safety of the service provided and to ensure that people received appropriate care and support.

The provider had a clear ethos of providing high quality care for people. The registered manager and the manager were passionate about people receiving the best care possible. Feedback from people, relatives and staff was continually sought and acted upon.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.