The Fremantle Trust - Buckingham Road

Updated 26 June 2018

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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 4 and 5 June 2018 and it was an unannounced visit to the service.

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Prior to the inspection we asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). We used information the provider sent us in the PIR. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. In addition, we gave the registered manager opportunities throughout the inspection to share their vision and hopes for the services’ future. We reviewed notifications and any other information we had received. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law.

Whilst at the care home we spoke with two people who lived there. Some of the people who live at The Fremantle Trust - Buckingham Road did not use words to communicate. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We spoke with the registered manager and three care staff. We reviewed four staff recruitment files, three care plans and three medicine records within the service. We cross-referenced practice against the provider’s own policies and procedures. We asked the provider to send further documents after the inspection. Which we received in a timely manner.

Following the site visits we contacted three relatives to seek feedback. We contacted social care and healthcare professionals with knowledge of the service. This included people who commission care on behalf of the local authority and health or social care professionals responsible for people who were supported.

Updated 26 June 2018

This inspection took place on 4 and 5 June 2018. It was an unannounced visit to the service.

We previously inspected the service on the 24 and 25 May 2017. The service was rated Requires Improvement at the time. We found two breaches of the Regulations of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and one breach of the Care Quality Commission Regulations 2009. We found people were not always protected from fire as staff did not know how to support people in the event of a fire. Staff were not always supported in line with provider’s expectations. We found the registered manager had not always informed us of events it was legally required to do so. We asked the provider to complete an action plan to show what they would do and by when to improve the key questions, Safe, Effective and Well-Led to at least good. At this inspection we found improvements had been made.

The Fremantle Trust - Buckingham Road is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The Fremantle Trust - Buckingham Road can accommodate seven people in one bungalow. Five people with learning disabilities were living there when we visited. Each person had their own personalised bedroom and had access to a communal lounge, kitchen, dining room and bathroom facilities. People had access to a large private garden and outdoor space.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

The service had a registered manager in post. 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.

We received positive feedback from people, their relatives and staff on how the service was led. Comments included “Staff are excellent,” “I would say Buckingham Road definitely replicates a family home” and I do feel very comfortable that he is there, well cared for and well looked after.”

Staff were aware of the need to report any incidents and accidents. Systems were in place to monitor and identify any trends or learning to prevent a future similar event.

People were supported by staff that had developed a good working relationship with them. Staff were aware of people’s likes and dislikes. It was clear from the interactions we observed people were relaxed in the company of staff and welcomed their support.

People were supported to engage in meaningful activities and keep in contact with family and friends. People attended external social groups both during the day and in the evening. On day one of inspection one person was excited as they were going to a social club that evening.

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. Staff

Improvements had been made to the environment. Equipment used by people was serviced on a regular basis.

We received positive feedback about how the service was managed. One relative told us “(Name of registered manager) is driving improvements”. The whole staff team worked together to provide a homely environment and support people to live a fulfilling life.