Norwood

Updated 2 February 2022

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of CQC’s response to care homes with outbreaks of COVID-19, we are conducting reviews to ensure that the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practice is safe and that services are compliant with IPC measures. This was a targeted inspection looking at the IPC practices the provider has in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.

This inspection took place on 20 January 2022 and was announced. We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection.

Updated 2 February 2022

This inspection took place on 27 and 28 September 2017 and was unannounced. The service is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 46 people. At the time of our inspection there were 44 people using the service.

At our last inspection of 8 August 2014 we rated the service as ‘Good’. At this inspection we have rated the service as ‘Good’ and the well-led section as ‘Outstanding’.

The service had a registered manager in place at the time of our inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons.’ Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People felt safe in the service. Each person had a risk assessment in place which had been discussed with them and or their families to minimise risks while supporting them to pursue the life of their choice. Staff had received training in safeguarding and there were sufficient staff organised to be on duty to meet peoples assessed needs.

Regular checks of the fire safety systems and equipment used by staff in the service to support people were arranged and carried out.

The service had a robust recruitment policy and people had been supported to be part of the staff recruitment procedure. Each person had a medicines profile which included information about any allergies and why the medicines had been prescribed for them.

All new staff were provided with regular one to one support from experienced staff and given induction training. All staff had received training to enable them to support the people living at the service.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The staff were trained to support people’s capacity to make decisions and choices in their lives. People's rights were protected because staff acted in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005. The principles of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards were understood and applied correctly and the team were committed to ensuring that people were supported in the least restrictive way possible.

People were supported as required to eat and drink enough and they were encouraged to make choices about food and drink and provided. The catering staff spoke with people regularly about the food and drinks provided and acted upon the feedback to develop menus.

People were supported by visiting professionals who were contacted by the service staff as necessary to provide treatment for any illnesses and concerns raised and noted by the staff.

People were supported by exceptionally caring staff that knew them well and understood how to support them to maximise their potential and attain their goals. The service had a person centred culture focussed on the promotion of people's rights to make choices and live a fulfilled life as independently as possible and this resulted in people being valued and treated as individuals. People received a personalised service which was responsive to their individual needs.

Each person was visited by a senior member of staff prior to using the service to carry out a detailed assessment to determine if the service could meet their needs. This was an opportunity also for the person to visit the service and ask questions regarding if it was the right service for them.

People were listened to and there were systems in place to obtain people's views about their care. People were encouraged to provide feedback on the service and felt they could raise concerns. Complaints were taken seriously, investigated and responded to compassionately.

The registered manager and their team of staff were inspiring and dedicated to providing care which met the highest of standards. They strived for excellence through consultation, they were passionate and dedicated to providing an outstanding service to people.

Planned quality assurance processes and resulting actions ensured the safety and quality of the service. Reviews of peoples care took place so that the staff could provide continuous support to people to provide person-centred care.