Archived: Turning Point - 3-4 Cuthberts Close

Updated 9 May 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 checked 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 26 March 2018 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of two adult social care inspectors 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. The expert-by-experience used on this occasion had experience in caring for people with learning disabilities.

Before visiting the home we reviewed the information we held about the service which included notifications sent to us by the provider. We contacted the local authority commissioning and safeguarding teams to ask for their views of the service. We reviewed information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

Most people living at the home could not communicate verbally with us so we observed care and support for extended periods in the home during our inspection. We spoke with the registered manager, deputy manager, three care workers and contacted two relatives by telephone during the inspection visit to help us make a judgement about the quality of the service provided.

We observed care and support and looked around the home. We reviewed two people’s care records and other records such as medication records, meeting notes, accident and incident reports, staff training records and maintenance records.

Updated 9 May 2018

Our inspection of Turning Point - 3-4 Cuthberts Close took place on 26 March 2018 and was unannounced. There had been a change of provider in 2016 and this was the first inspection since the new provider had registered with the Commission.

3-4 Cuthberts Close 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 service accommodates up to eight people across two separate units, each of which have separate adapted facilities. Both of the units specialises in providing care to people with learning disabilities. At the time of our inspection there were six people living at the service.

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 was in post. 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.

Staff and relatives told us people living at the service were safe. Safeguarding policies were in place and staff were trained to recognise and report signs of abuse. Assessments were in place to mitigate risks to people's safety.

Sufficient staff were deployed to keep people safe and staff had received training in a range of topics to provide safe and effective care. Checks were in place to ensure staff employed were suitable to work with vulnerable people. We saw staff were kind and compassionate with people and people were relaxed in the company of staff.

Medicines were managed safely and checked to ensure people received medicines as prescribed.

We saw some areas required refurbishment and redecoration. The registered manager told us improvements to the decoration of the service were planned including remodelling of the service. Infection control measures were in place including checks to monitor the risk and spread of infection. The registered manager was aware of the need to maintain a clean environment.

People were supported with their healthcare needs by a range of healthcare professionals.

Staff knew people well including likes, dislikes, support needs and dietary preferences. People were offered a choice of what they wanted to eat and were encouraged to eat healthily.

People's needs were assessed and plans of care put in place which were reviewed regularly. Care records were detailed and person centred, giving key information about the person's care and support needs. However, more evidence was required in care records about people and/or their relatives' involvement in best interest processes and care plan reviews.

The service was compliant with the legal requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. The registered manager understood their responsibilities under the Act.

We found an open and transparent culture at the service and the registered manager was open to ways of improving the service. A range of internal and external quality assurance checks were in place to monitor the service and drive improvements. Staff and relatives told us they were able to approach the management team with any concerns and felt supported.