Meadow View

Updated 10 June 2022

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by two Inspectors.

Service and service type

Meadow View 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.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced

What we did before 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 (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually 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 and communicated with five people who used the service and six relatives about their experience of the care provided. Some people who used the service were unable to talk with us but used different ways of communicating including sounds, objects, pictures and their body language.

We spoke with eleven members of staff including support workers, night staff, agency staff, senior support workers, deputy manager and the registered manager.

We spent time observing people.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and seven medication records. We looked at three 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.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records.

Updated 10 June 2022

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

About the service

Meadow View is a residential care home providing personal care for up to seven people with learning disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder or associate physical health needs. The home is a large bungalow with seven en-suite bedrooms, communal kitchen/diner and living room with access to outside space. It is situated in a residential area. At the time of the inspection seven people were living there.

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

Right Support

Staff supported people to have the maximum possible choice, control and independence and they had control over their own lives. Staff focused on people’s strengths and promoted what they could do, so people had a fulfilling and meaningful everyday life.

People were supported by staff to take part in activities and pursue their interests in the local area. Staff supported people to achieve their aspirations and goals.

The service gave people care and support in a safe, clean, well equipped, well-furnished and well-maintained environment that met their sensory and physical needs. People had a choice about their living environment and were able to personalise their rooms.

Staff supported people to make decisions following best practice in decision-making. Staff communicated with people in ways that met their needs.

Staff supported people to play an active role in maintaining their own health and wellbeing. People were supported with their medicines in a way that promoted their independence and achieved the best possible health outcome. Staff ensured people had full access to health and social care to maintain their health and wellbeing.

Right Care

People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people’s privacy and dignity.They understood and responded to their individual needs and promoted equality and diversity in their support for people.

People told us or communicated with us they were happy living at Meadow View. Relatives feedback was their family members were safe and comfortable at the service. Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse. The service worked well with other agencies to do so. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it.

People could communicate with staff and understand information given to them because staff supported them consistently and understood their individual communication needs. There was enough appropriately skilled staff to meet people’s needs and keep them safe.

People who had individual ways of communicating, using body language, sounds, pictures and symbols could interact comfortably with staff and others involved in their care and support because staff had the necessary skills to understand them.

People’s care, treatment and support plans reflected their range of needs and this promoted their wellbeing and enjoyment of life. People could take part in activities and pursue interests that were tailored to them.

Staff and people cooperated to assess risks people might face. Where appropriate, staff encouraged and enabled people to take positive risks.

Right culture

People received good quality care, support and treatment because trained staff and specialists could meet their needs and wishes. People led inclusive and empowered lives because of the ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of the management and staff.

People were supported by staff who understood best practice in relation to the wide range of strengths, impairments or sensitivities people with a learning disability and/or autistic people may have. This meant people received compassionate and empowering care that was tailored to their needs.

Staff placed people’s wishes, needs and rights at the heart of everything they did. They knew and understood people well and were responsive, supporting their aspirations to live a quality life of their choosing.

People and those important to them were involved in planning their care. The service enabled people and those important to them to work with staff to develop the service. Staff valued and acted upon people’s views.

People’s quality of life was enhanced by the service’s culture of improvement and inclusivity. Staff ensured risks of a closed culture were minimised so that people received support based on transparency, respect and inclusivity.

The registered manager and provider had implemented effective checks and audits on the quality and safety of the service. When shortfalls were identified, action was taken to address these.

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 29 June 2018)

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection as part of a random selection of services rated Good and Outstanding to test the reliability of our new monitoring approach. We also inspected to assess that the service is applying the principles of Right support right care right culture.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

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.