Archived: Antelope Way

Updated 12 February 2016

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 unannounced inspection was carried out by two inspectors on 7 January 2016.

Prior to our inspection we looked at information that we held about the service including information received and notifications. Notifications are information on important events that happen in the home that the provider is required to notify us about by law. We also made contact with the local authority contract monitoring officer to aid with our planning of this inspection.

Some of the people who used the service needed support from staff to communicate. They expressed themselves using a combination of sounds, signs and gestures. We spoke with staff and looked at people’s care plans to help us to communicate with the people who used the service. We also observed how people were cared for to help us understand their experience of the care they received. We spoke with five care staff, the registered manager and a peripatetic manager during our inspection.

We looked at two people’s care records, staff meeting minutes and medication administration records. We checked records in relation to the management of the service such as quality assurance audits, policies and staff training and recruitment records

Updated 12 February 2016

Antelope Way provides accommodation and personal care for up to eight people who have a learning disability. There were eight people living at the home when we inspected. Accommodation is provided over two floors across an adjoining property. All bedrooms are for single occupancy and there are separate toilets and bathroom/shower facilities. There are two kitchens/dining areas and communal areas for people and their guests to use. People and their relatives also had access to the rear garden area.

This unannounced inspection was carried out on 7 January 2016. At the time of our inspection a registered manager was 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. The registered manager was due to retire at the end of January 2016. A peripatetic manager had been appointed and was working in the home until the recruitment of another manager

The CQC is required by law to monitor the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA 2005) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and to report on what we find. The provider was acting in accordance with the requirements of the MCA including the DoLS. The provider could demonstrate how they supported people to make decisions about their care and where they were unable to do so they were in the process of completing assessments which were to be sent to the supervisory body.

People’s privacy and dignity was respected by staff. People’s care was provided with kindness and patience and in a way which people preferred. People’s requests for assistance were responded to promptly.

Staff had been trained in medicines administration and safeguarding people from harm and were knowledgeable about how to ensure people’s safety. Medicines were stored correctly and records showed that people had received their medicines as prescribed.

Health care and support plans were in place although not all provided detailed information so that staff had clear guidance on how to meet people’s individual care needs. Risks to people who lived in the home were identified and assessed to enable people to live as safely and independently as possible.

Staff supported people with their personal care, medicines, activities/hobbies, cooking and domestic tasks in a cheerful and kind way.

Members of staff were trained to provide care which met people’s individual needs and wishes. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities. They were supported by the manager to maintain and develop their skills and knowledge through supervision, and ongoing training.

Information on how to make a complaint was available for people and staff knew how to respond to any identified concerns or suggestions.

Arrangements were in place to ensure that the quality of the service provided for people was monitored and action had been taken when necessary.