Aspire in the Community - 13 Station Road

Updated 24 December 2020

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 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 18 November 2020 and was announced.

Updated 24 December 2020

The inspection took place on 13 September 2018 and was unannounced. The last comprehensive inspection took place in April 2016 when the provider was rated Good. You can read the report from our last inspections, by selecting the 'all reports' link for ‘Aspire in the Community – 13 Station Road’ on our website at www.cqc.org.uk. At this inspection we found the service had remained Good.

Aspire in the Community – 13 Station Road is a, ‘care home.’ People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Aspire in the Community – 13 Station Road is registered to provide care for up to seven younger adults who are living with a learning disability. The accommodation is provided in a five-bedroomed house and a two-bedroom bungalow on the same site.

The registered provider was working within 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 using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

At the time of our inspection the service had a registered manager. 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.

The registered provider had systems in place to ensure people were protected from the risk of abuse. Staff were knowledgeable about what action they would take if they suspected abuse.

Risks associated with people’s care were identified and actions taken helped to minimise the risk occurring without restricting people’s freedom.

We spent time observing staff interacting with people who used the service and found there were enough staff available to ensure people were supported to meet their needs and engage in social activities and interests.

The registered provider had systems in place to ensure people received their medicines in a safe way. However, one store room required a record of daily temperatures to ensure the medicines were stored at the recommended temperature.

Staff received training and support to ensure they carried out their roles and responsibilities in an effective way. People were supported to maintain a healthy, balanced diet which met their needs and considered their preferences.

People had access to healthcare professionals to ensure they lived healthy lives and had access to ongoing healthcare support.

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.

We observed staff interacting with people who used the service. We found they were kind and caring in nature and shared lots of appropriate and friendly banter and laughter.

People received person-centred care which met their needs. The registered provider had a complaints procedure, but there had been no recent concerns raised.

There was a system in place to audit the service and to ensure standards were being maintained. People were asked to comment about the service via a quality questionnaire. However, feedback was not readily available.

Further information is in the detailed findings below