Blamster's Link

Updated 5 November 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

The inspection was carried out by two inspectors.

Service and service type

Blamster’s Link is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Blamster’s Link is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection the service did not have a registered manager in post. A new manager had been in post for six months and had submitted an application to register. We are currently assessing this application.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced. Inspection activity started on 13 September 2022 and ended on 14 September 2022. We visited the service on 13 September 2022 and 14 September 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection, including 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. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 3 people using the service and 2 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 6 members of staff including the manager, deputy manager, senior carers and care staff. We also spoke with the area manager responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider and a social worker visiting the service. We reviewed a range of records, including 3 people’s care plans, 5 staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision and a variety of records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 5 November 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

Blamster's Link is a residential care home providing accommodation with personal care for up to 5 people with a learning disability or autistic people. At the time of this inspection there were 5 people using the service.

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

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right Support:

Blamster’s Link is in a rural position and fits in the local residential area. There was nothing outside to show it was a care home. The building was a similar size to other properties with a large garden, which people had access to. Internally the premises were very spacious and well designed for the people living there.

The service had an established staff team who have known and worked with the current people for a long time. Staff showed a genuine interest in people’s well-being and quality of life. They were kind, caring and nurturing and as a result we saw people were at ease, happy, engaged and stimulated.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff managed risks to minimise restrictions, focussing on what people could do for themselves. Staff worked well with the providers positive behaviour support (PBS) team to ensure people received the right level of support to manage signs of distress and or frustration. Staff were aware of subtle changes in people’s behaviours and took action to diffuse incidents quickly.

Systems were followed by staff to ensure medicines were managed safely. People were supported to access healthcare services to promote their wellbeing and help them to live healthy lives. People received support to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced diet and were involved in choosing their food, shopping and planning their meals.

Right Care:

People’s care plans were personalised, covering all aspects of their needs and aspirations, including their physical and mental health needs. Staff delivered care in line with information in people's care plans and recognised models of care for people with a learning disability or autistic people. This ensured people were receiving care tailored to them which promoted a good quality of life.

Staff understood people’s individual communication styles and we saw they had developed a good rapport with them. People were supported to develop and maintain relationships, follow interests and take part in activities that were socially and culturally relevant to them.

People were kept safe from avoidable harm because staff knew them well and understood how to protect them from abuse. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it. The manager worked well with other agencies to safeguard people. Investigations into incidents had been used as an opportunity to learn lessons, change practice and drive improvement.

The service had enough staff, including for one-to-one support for people to keep them safe and take part in activities, when they wanted. The numbers and skills of staff matched the needs of people using the service. Staff recruitment, induction and training processes promoted safety, including those for agency staff. People were supported by staff who had received a wide range of relevant and good quality training to meet their needs.

The service had effective infection, prevention and control measures to keep people safe, including good arrangements for keeping the premises clean and hygienic.

Right Culture:

The manager had been in post for six months and had worked hard to instil a culture of care where staff felt truly valued. There was a transparent, open and honest culture between people, those important to them, staff and managers. The attitudes and behaviours of the manager and staff ensured people using the service lead inclusive and empowered lives. Staff understood their role in making sure that people were always put first. They provided person centred care and sought to protect and promote people’s rights.

The service had effective governance arrangements in place to assess the quality and safety of the service. These were used to identify and drive improvement. Concerns and complaints were taken seriously, investigated and the outcomes used to improve the service. Systems were in place to apologise to people, and those important to them, when things went wrong.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 23 July 2020 and this is the first inspection. The service was previously registered under TLC Care Homes Limited. The last rating for the service under the previous provider was rated Good published on 23 October 2018.

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection to assess that the service was 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, which will help inform when we next inspect.