Background to this inspection
Updated
5 January 2019
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 comprehensive inspection took place on 7 November and was announced. The inspection was completed by one adult care inspector. After our inspection visit we contacted a health professional by telephone who was currently involved with the service.
Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). The PIR 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 reviewed other information that we held about the service including previous inspection reports and notifications. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law.
We contacted the local authority commissioning and safeguarding teams. We also contacted the local Healthwatch board. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. No concerns were raised with us.
We made observations of the care and support provided at Bacup Street, including interactions between people using the service and staff throughout the inspection. We spoke with one person who used the service, two health professionals, the registered manager, and two care staff. We looked at the care files of three people who used the service and records relating to the management of the home including training records, medicine administration records, quality assurance systems and maintenance records.
Updated
5 January 2019
Mediline Supported Living Bacup, referred to throughout this report as Bacup Street, is a service registered to provide care and support for up to three people with a learning disability and potentially, additional mental health needs. The service is single storey and has adapted rooms and bathrooms to meet people’s needs. At the time of this inspection there were three people living at Bacup Street.
Bacup Street 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.
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.
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 inspection in December 2015 we rated the service as good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.
At this inspection we found the service remained Good.
Why the service is rated good.
People enjoyed living at Bacup Street and one person we talked with told us they felt safe. We saw recent complimentary feedback written in the visitor’s book. Positive interactions between the people at the service and staff were observed during our inspection.
People’s health and nutritional needs were met by the service, although we identified that staff were not always following guidelines put in place by other health professionals. We brought this to the registered manager’s attention.
Medicines continued to be stored correctly and administered as prescribed, although one medication administration record (MAR) did not reflect the current regime of administration for one medicine. The medicine was being administered correctly. The temperature of the room where medicines were stored was not being taken. The registered manager told us this would be addressed.
Staff received the training and support, through supervisions and team meetings, to effectively meet people’s needs. Annual observations of staff competencies were completed.
A safe system for recruiting new staff was in place. The number of staff on duty varied depending on people’s needs and the regular activities people planned to participate in during the week.
Person centred care plans and risk assessments were in place to guide staff on the support people needed and how to reduce any identified risks. Where applicable, care plans were in place to support specific health conditions, for example epilepsy and dysphagia.
Information about people’s preferences, culture, likes and dislikes was recorded. A description of people’s preferred daily routines was held on their support plans.
People were supported to have choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. People told us the food was good and the menus showed that people were offered variety and choice of meals.
At this inspection all equipment was maintained and serviced in line with national guidelines. The service was well maintained and clean throughout. Emergency evacuation plans were in place for each person in their care files.
The registered manager had an auditing system in place to monitor the quality of the service. All incidents and accidents were reviewed to reduce the likelihood of a re-occurrence. Other quality checks and audits were carried out at the service by managers of other services, independent of Bacup Street.
People were consulted about the service and the provider had recently held an open day, attended by people living at Bacup Street. Surveys were used to gain feedback from people, their relatives, staff and other professionals about the service.