Valley Way Respite Service

Updated 29 February 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

This inspection was completed by one inspector.

Service and service type

Valley Way respite service 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.

Notice of inspection

The inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from 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 observed interactions between people and staff as some people were not able to answer our questions verbally because of their cognitive needs. We spoke with three relatives to gain their views about the service. We spoke with two members of staff, care ordinator, manager and registered manager. We also spoke with two healthcare professionals.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care plans, risk assessments and medicine records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment, training and supervision. We also looked at records relating to the management of the service such as audits and a variety of policies and procedures developed and implemented by the provider.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. The provider sent us quality assurance records.

Updated 29 February 2020

About the service

Valley Way respite service is a residential respite service which accommodates up to six adults with physical and learning disabilities and profound or complex needs. At the time of our inspection, five people were using the service. The service has forty-two people they provide respite care to when required. Respite care provides planned short and long term breaks for people and their families including temporary emergency care. The home has three floors with accommodation on the ground and first floor and lift access throughout the service; all six bedrooms have en suite facilities.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

The service applied the principles 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.

At this inspection, we found the service was outstanding in empowering people to have as much control over their lives as possible and to achieve their maximum potential.

Relatives and healthcare professionals felt the care was highly personalised and staff worked well to deliver an excellent level of care. We found multiple examples to demonstrate the staff and management team were passionate about providing an innovative, responsive and excellent service to people.

The service had safeguarding procedures in place and staff had a clear understanding of these procedures. Appropriate recruitment checks had taken place before staff started work and there were enough staff available to meet people’s care and support needs. Risks to people had been assessed to ensure their needs were safely met. The service had procedures in place to reduce the risk of infections. People’s medicines were managed safely.

People’s care and support needs were assessed when they used the service. Staff were supported through induction, training, regular supervision and annual appraisals of their work performance. 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. People were supported to maintain a healthy balanced diet and they had access to health care professionals when they needed them.

Staff were kind and caring and people’s independence was promoted. People’s privacy and dignity was respected. People and their relatives, where appropriate, had been consulted about their care and support needs.

There were procedures in place to respond to complaints. The provider had investigated and responded promptly to any concerns received. There were effective systems in place to assess and monitor the quality of the service provided. The provider worked in partnership with healthcare services and professionals to plan and deliver an effective service.

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 5 June 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.