Archived: Eastbourne Avenue

Updated 3 December 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.

As part of CQC’s response to care homes with outbreaks of coronavirus, we are conducting reviews to ensure that the Infection Prevention and Control practice was safe and the service was compliant with IPC measures. This was a targeted inspection looking at the IPC practices the provider has in place. This inspection took place on 6 November 2020 and was announced.

Updated 3 December 2020

About the service

Eastbourne Avenue is a residential care home providing personal care and support to seven younger adults, some of who may be living with learning disabilities and autism. The service can support up to seven people.

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 was provided from two adjoining houses in a residential street and was registered to support seven people. It therefore conformed with current best practice guidance.

The principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance ensure people with a learning disability and or autism who use a service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best outcomes that include control, choice and independence. At this inspection the provider had ensured they were applied.

The vision of the service reflected these principles ensuring people with learning disabilities have opportunities and choice and are supported to achieve their aspirations. Staff adopted the ethos to provide person-centred care that enable individuals to develop skills and behaviours to live independent lives.

There was an emphasis by the provider on continuous learning and improvement. The provider and work force were involved in range of initiatives to progress service delivery. People benefited and achieved a much improved quality of life due to staff understanding of positive behaviour strategies when people may become distressed.

The service was very well-led. Staff went the extra mile to ensure people received care that helped them develop.

Strong, committed leadership put people at the centre of service provision. People, relatives and staff were extremely positive about the management of the service and all felt valued and respected.

There was a strong and effective governance system in place. There were opportunities for people, relatives and staff to give their views about the service. Processes were in place to manage and respond to complaints and concerns.

There were sufficient staff employed. All people told us they felt safe with staff support and staff were approachable. One person said, “The staff are kind, they listen to you”. Another person commented, “This is my home, I’m safe here.”

Risk assessments were in place and they accurately identified current risks to the person as well as ways for staff to minimise or appropriately manage those risks.

Staff received a range of training to ensure they could support people safely and carry out their roles effectively. We have made a recommendation about mandatory training and adhering to current guidance for the frequency of refresher training.

Staff knew the people they were supporting well. Records detailed how people wished to be supported and people were fully involved in making decisions about their care.

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 had developed very good relationships with people, were caring in their approach and treated people with respect. Staff upheld people's human rights and treated everyone with great respect and dignity.

People were supported to access health care professionals when required. They received varied and nutritious diets. They were supported to receive their medicines and manage their finances safely. We have made a recommendation about the management of people’s finances.

People were provided with opportunities to follow their interests and hobbies. They were supported to take holiday and to be part of the local community.

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.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 31 May 2018). The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve.

At the last inspection the provider had failed to notify us of Liberty safeguards. This was a breach of regulation and we issued a fixed penalty notice. The provider successfully appealed against the fixed penalty which was withdrawn.

At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulation 18.

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 Eastbourne Avenue 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.