Gibralter Crescent

Updated 21 January 2023

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 could 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 2 inspectors.

Service and service type

Gibralter Crescent 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. Gibralter Crescent 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 there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed the evidence we held about the service. This included any notifications of significant events, such as serious injuries or safeguarding referrals. Notifications are information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. 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. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We communicated with 2 people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. People used different ways of communicating including Makaton, British Sign Language, objects and their body language. Makaton is a unique language programme that uses symbols, signs and speech to enable people to communicate. We spoke with 4 members of staff including the home manager, the deputy manager, and support workers. We reviewed a range of records. These included 3 people's care records and multiple medication records. We looked at 3 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. We spoke with 4 relatives about the care their loved ones received and a professional who had recently worked with the service.

Updated 21 January 2023

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

Gibralter Crescent is a residential care home providing personal care to 5 people at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 6 people. The service provides support to people with a learning disability and people who are deaf or hearing impaired.

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

Right Support:

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives. Staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Consistent availability of necessary communication tools throughout the home gave people the opportunity to have choice and control as frequently as possible.

Right Care:

People had been living at Gibralter Crescent for many years. Staff advocated for them well with respect to their individual interests and the importance of a familiar established routine. People received kind and compassionate care. Staff respected people's privacy and dignity and talked about people respectfully and fondly. Staff had received training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it. Staff had identified any risks people might face and put measures in place to mitigate these.

Right Culture:

The registered manager monitored the quality of support provided to people, involving the person, their family and other professionals as appropriate. Other professionals praised the effective relationship they had with the staff when working together. Staff were passionate about the people they supported and knew their individual needs and preferences well. Ideas were shared amongst the staff team to improve the service and the knowledge of newer staff.

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 30 June 2021 and this is the first inspection. The last rating for the service under the previous provider was requires improvement, published on 15 November 2019.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.

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.