Archived: Redbank House

We considered all the evidence we had gathered under the outcomes we inspected. We used the information to answer the five questions we always ask;

' Is the service caring?

' Is the service responsive?

' Is the service safe?

' Is the service effective?

' Is the service well led?

This is a summary of what we found-

Is the service caring?

People told us that they were happy with the care that had been delivered and their needs had been met. It was clear from our observations and from speaking with staff that they had a good understanding of the people's care and support needs and that they knew them well. One person told us. "They are brilliant. Really good staff.' Another person said, 'The staff here are marvellous. They have had training about PWS (Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic condition that causes a wide range of symptoms including constant hunger, restricted growth and learning difficulties') and really seem to understand the problems we have.'

Is the service responsive?

People living at the service told us they completed questionnaires each year and any issues raised had always been addressed. For example, we were told 'We wanted a new carpet and we got one.'

We spoke with people about their physical health needs and they all said they saw their doctor if they needed to. They also told us they visited the dentist regularly and where necessary, had eye tests. Records showed that people received assessment and treatment from NHS health care professionals when required.

Is the service safe?

CQC monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards which applies to care homes. While no applications had been submitted, proper policies and procedures were in place. Relevant staff had been trained to understand when an application should be made, and how to submit one.

People we spoke with confirmed that they felt safe at the home and would speak to the manager or any of the staff if they had any concerns.

Is the service effective?

There were enough staff on duty to meet the needs of the people living at the home and a member of the management team was available on call in case of emergencies.

We spoke with all seven of the people who used the service. They were positive about the care and support they received. They told us they were well cared for and were encouraged to be as independent as possible. One of the people we spoke with said, 'I manage my own medicines now. I never would have believed I could do that.'

Is the service well led?

People who used the service, their representatives and staff were asked for their views about their care and treatment and they were acted on, through an annual survey. People living at the service told us they completed questionnaires each year and any issues raised had always been addressed. For example, we were told 'We wanted a new carpet and we got one.'

Staff we spoke with told us they felt well supported and enjoyed working at the service. One said, 'I love it here. The managers are very approachable and as well as having structured supervisions for us to discuss our work, they are always available and happy to listen to us.' They also said, 'The training is great. I prefer when it is with people instead of on line, but it does give us confidence to do a good job. I think it is very important that we have knowledge of PWS as it is so complicated.'

Staff had a good understanding of the ethos of the home and quality assurance processes were in place. People told us 'We complete surveys and if something is wrong, it gets put right. We've just had new carpets.'

We used a number of different methods to help us understand the experiences of people using the service, including talking with them and an examination of their care planning documentation.

During the visit we spoke with four people who lived at the service, two support workers and the registered manager.

The manager told us about meetings with the people who lived at the service. These were arranged to enable them to discuss things on an informal basis and to make decisions about menu's, activities and other issues that affected them as a group.

One person told us 'We have regular meetings to plan food shopping and other things that affect all of us.'

We also looked at some of the records held in the service which included the care files for three people and we observed the support people who used the service received from staff.

We saw that the home was well maintained and clean. We looked at one person's room and another person's flat and saw they were personalised and decorated in the colours and style the person had chosen.

Each person had a key to their own room and they told us that no-one else went in without their permission.

One person told us, 'I can't imagine living anywhere else. This is perfect for me and I am very happy. I have achieved all the goals I set myself and am now maintaining them.'

Another person said 'I like my room very much and if I wanted to re-decorate I would only have to say so and I could do it.' They added, 'I am very happy here. Even if I have a bad day, I still wouldn't want to be anywhere else.'