5 February 2019
During a routine inspection
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.
At the time of the inspection there were a limited number of people using the service.
The service had a registered manager in place. 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 last comprehensive inspection on 10 July 2017 we rated the service overall 'Requires Improvement', as well as in the areas of Safe, Effective, and Well-led. This was because we identified one breach of legal requirement as the provider did not ensure the proper and safe management of medicines. We also identified staff did not have appropriate understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and that the service did not have a registered manager in place to ensure the quality of the service was monitored and improvements were made as required.
At this inspection we found there were no breaches of the regulations of the Health and Social Care Act (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, and we rated the service overall as Good. We found that the registered manager had made improvements in all areas of concerns we identified at the last inspection. However, at this inspection we found that parts of the premises were in disrepair, had tiles which were missing and carpets which were stained. We recommended that the registered manager needed to make improvements in these areas.
Staff understood their responsibilities regarding the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). 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.
Staff received the training and support that they required to carry out their roles in meeting people’s individual needs and supporting their independence.
People’s medicines were managed safely. Staff liaised with healthcare and social care professionals to ensure that people’s health, medical and care needs were met by the service.
Staff were knowledgeable about people’s needs and engaged with them in a respectful, sensitive and encouraging manner. Staff had a caring approach to their work and understood the importance of treating people with dignity, protecting people's privacy and respecting their differences and human rights.
There were arrangements in place to ensure people were safe in the service. Risk assessments were completed and staff knew how to manage risks to ensure people were safe.
People's care plans were up to date and personalised. They included details about people’s needs and preferences, and guidance for staff to follow so people received the care and support they needed.
People had the opportunity to take part in a range of activities that met their interests and needs.
Staff recruitment procedures were robust ensuring that staff employed were appropriately checked and were suitable to work with people. There were enough to support and meet people's needs.
People using the service were supported and encouraged to choose their meals. Their dietary needs and preferences were accommodated by the service.
People’s relatives knew how to raise a complaint and were confident that any concerns would be taken seriously.
Various aspects of the service were monitored and improvements made through ongoing auditing processes.
Incidents and accidents were monitored, recorded and lessons learnt to make further improvements.