Archived: Chetwynd Road

Updated 11 December 2019

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 conducted by two inspectors.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to people living in a ‘supported living’ setting, so that they can live as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.

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 the inspection

Before the inspection we reviewed the information we had received about the service, including previous inspection reports and notifications. Notifications are information about specific important events the service is legally required to send to us. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does 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 with three people who used the service. We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager, a deputy manager and support workers. We carried out observations of people's experiences throughout the inspection. We reviewed a range of records. This included four people's care records and multiple 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 accident and incident records and policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We spoke with three relatives about their experience of the care provided and sought feedback from four professionals.

Updated 11 December 2019

About the service

Chetwynd Road provides personal care and support for adults with a learning disability, who may also have physical disabilities and/or other complex health conditions. This is a supported living service where people reside in self-contained flats. The service operates from an office within the building. There is a communal lounge and kitchen/dining area on the ground floor and a garden to the rear of the building. The service can support up to 14 people. At the time of our inspection 13 people were living at Chetwynd Road.

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 provider’s governance systems were not always effective in identifying concerns in the service to drive the necessary improvement. At times there was a lack of clear and accurate records regarding people’s medicines, mental capacity and any potential risks to them. We have made a recommendation about this.

People felt safe living at Chetwynd Road and staff had a good understanding of safeguarding procedures. Staff were recruited safely and there were enough staff to support people effectively.

There were some restrictive practices in place around people accessing the community and other aspects of their lives being managed by the service. It was not clear that people had consented to this or had the capacity to do so. We have made a recommendation about this. However, staff supported people to make decisions and respected the choices they had made.

Staff were well supported and received appropriate training and supervision to meet people's needs.

People were happy living at Chetwynd Road and their relatives were complimentary about the service. People were supported by staff who were kind, caring and who understood their likes, dislikes and preferences. Staff understood how to support people in ways that promoted their privacy, dignity 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. Staff supported people to set and work towards meaningful goals. They provided people with support to access their local community, plan activities and maintain important relationships.

Staff were positive about the management of the service and told us the registered manager was very supportive and approachable. People and their relatives felt listened to and knew how to raise concerns.

The provider used meetings and surveys to gather the views of people and staff, however it was not always clear how suggestions made had been acted on. Staff and the registered manager shared information effectively as a team and with other organisations when needed.

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 Outstanding. (Report published 20 April 2017)

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Chetwynd Road on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

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.