The Pines

Updated 2 November 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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 home, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This was a comprehensive inspection which took place on 17 August 2017. It was unannounced and was carried out by one inspector.

Before the inspection visit we reviewed the information we held about the home. We looked at the statutory notifications that had been sent to us. A statutory notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send to us by law. We also spoke to the local authority commissioners. Commissioners are people who contract service, and monitor the care and support when services are paid for by the local authority. They did not have any information to share with us.

As part of our inspection we asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the home, what the home does well and improvements they plan to make. The information contained within the PIR was reflected during our visit.

We spoke with two people who lived at the home and two relatives during our visit. We also spoke with the registered manager, the deputy manager, two care workers and a visiting health professional.

We looked at the records of three people and other records related to how the home operated. This included checks the management team took to assure themselves that people received a good quality service.

Updated 2 November 2017

At the last inspection in August 2015, the home was rated 'Good'. At this inspection, the home continued to be good.

The Pines provides care and accommodation for up to six people with a diagnosis of a learning disability, autistic spectrum disorder or mental health. There were six people living at the home at the time of our inspection.

There was a registered manager in post at the service. 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 atmosphere at The Pines was relaxed. We observed positive interactions between people and the staff throughout our visit. Relatives confirmed their family members were well looked after and safe in the home.

Procedures were in place to protect people from harm. Staff had received the training they needed to be effective in their roles and knew how to safeguard people from abuse. There were enough staff on duty to support people safely. The provider's recruitment procedures minimised, as far as possible, the risks to people safety.

Staff were knowledgeable about the risks associated with people's care. Detailed risk assessments and management plans were in place for staff to follow to keep people safe.

People's medicines were stored and managed safely. Regular checks of equipment took place to make sure it was safe to use. There were processes to keep people safe in the event of an emergency such as a fire.

Accident and incident records were completed and a system was in place to analyse the records to reduce further incidents occurring.

The provider was working within the principles of the MCA. Staff had a good understanding of the principles of the MCA. The registered manager had correctly followed the process and authorisations to deprive some people of their liberty had been approved in line with legislation.

We observed staff were responsive to people's needs and had good knowledge of how they preferred their support to be provided. Staff told us about people's likes and how they tailored their care to meet their needs.

Staff behaviours and attitude to their work, showed they knew people they cared for well. People's right to privacy was respected and people were treated in a dignified way.

Care and support had been planned in partnership with people and their families and in a way that met their personal goals and care needs. Care plans were person centred and contained detailed information about people's preferences and daily routines.

People were supported to follow their personal hobbies and interests and were encouraged to join in with social activities.

There was a clear management structure in place to support people and staff at the home. Staff spoke positively about their managers and told us they enjoyed working at the home.

People and their relative’s service had opportunities to put forward their ideas and suggestions to drive forward improvements. The management team were responsive to the feedback provided. People and their relatives knew how to make a complaint and told us they comfortable doing so.

The management team completed regular checks of different aspects of the home. This was to highlight any issues in the quality of the care provided, and to drive forward improvements.