Bishops Way

Updated 17 January 2020

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

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

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small, and people are often out, and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from relatives, the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with three people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager, senior care workers and care workers. We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

Updated 17 January 2020

About the service

Bishops Way is a residential care home that provides accommodation and personal care support for up to four adults with learning disabilities. The service specialises in providing support to people with Prader Willi Syndrome (PWS). Prader Willi Syndrome is a rare genetic condition that causes a range of physical symptoms, learning difficulties and behavioural problems. People with PWS have an excessive appetite which can easily lead to dangerous weight gain.

Bishops Way is a semi-detached house located in a residential area of Saint Leonards. The service was over two floors. People had their own bedrooms and bathrooms and shared the communal areas and garden. At the time of our inspection three people were living at the service.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure 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’s experience of using this service

There were high levels of satisfaction amongst people who used the service. Everyone we spoke with said they would recommend the service to others. People repeatedly told us that staff had made a difference in their lives and ensured people were happy and safe. A relative described the management of the service as 'excellent'' and staff as 'fantastic and quite wonderful'.

Care was personalised to meet people’s care, social and well-being needs. Care plans provided detailed information and guidance for staff. Staff knew people well and provided support in line with people’s preferences. People’s diverse needs were catered for and they were treated with dignity and respect. People were supported with community connections through activities and social events.

People were treated with dignity and compassion by a kind, caring staff and management team who understood people's individual needs, choices and preferences well. People told us that staff had a good understanding of Prader Willi Syndrome and how this impacted on their lives and they felt supported and valued. One person said of a staff member “He understands me and is just a very pleasant person and lovely to talk to”. A relative told us people were treated with fantastic respect, dignity and care.

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. Staff completed a range of training and had the skills and knowledge to deliver effective care and support

The culture of the service was positive, and people and staff were complimentary of the management and provider. Systems and processes were in place to monitor the quality of the service being delivered. Staff told us it was a good place to work and the enthusiasm from the team impacted positively on the people using the service. One said, “It’s a good service, I would recommend it to other people. It’s a real home, it’s a family”, a relative said " [name] genuinely sees this service as their home – no better recommendation".

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was Good (published 6 April 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 re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.