Archived: 209 Weston Road

209 Weston Road provides accommodation and personal care for up to six people with a learning disability. At the time of the inspection three people were using the service.

The registered manager was absent from the service on the day of the 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.

Although people were asked about their care, the provider and manager did not always take prompt action to improve when people identified concerns or meet people's requests.

People were safeguarded from abuse as staff and the manager knew what to do if they suspected someone had been abused.

There were sufficient staff to keep people safe. They had been employed using safe recruitment procedures.

People's medicines were administered and stored safely.

Risks of harm to people had been assessed and plans put in place to minimise the risk.

The provider was following the principles of the MCA by ensuring that people were consenting to or were being supported to consent to their care and support.

Staff were supported and trained to be effective in their roles.

People's nutritional needs were met and they received health care support when they became unwell or their needs changed.

People were treated with dignity and respect and their right to privacy was upheld.

People received care that was personalised and met their individual needs and preferences. People were offered opportunities to be engage in hobbies and activities of their choice.

People's care was regularly reviewed to ensure it met their current needs.

People were involved in decision making about their care and asked their views on the service. People felt able to complain if they needed to.

The manager was respected and had made some improvements to the quality of the service since our last inspection.

The service provided accommodation and personal care to up to six people with a learning disability. At the time of the inspection four people were using the service.

We were supported throughout the inspection by the 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.

People's capacity to consent had not been assessed and some decisions were being made on behalf of people without the support they required. We found that people were being deprived of their liberty unlawfully as applications for a DoLS authorisation had not been made.

There were insufficient staff to safely meet the needs of people during the night.

People’s medicines were administered by trained staff, however medicines were not stored safely.

People were not always involved in decisions relating to their care, treatment and support. Care was not always planned and delivered based on people’s preferences and regularly reviewed with people.

People were not always treated with kindness and compassion. People’s right to privacy was respected.

When areas for improvement had been identified, they were not made to ensure a safe, quality service was provided.

We found three breaches of The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of the report.

People had opportunities to be involved in the community and to participate in hobbies and interests of their choice. However people’s requests to participate in these activities were not always responded to.

People were supported to have a healthy diet dependent on their assessed individual needs. People were given choices and asked what they would like to eat and drink.

People were safeguarded from abuse and the risk of abuse as staff knew what constituted abuse and who to report it to. The manager had previously made referrals for further investigation when they had suspected abuse had taken place.

People were supported to be as independent as they were able to be through the effective use of risk assessments and the staff knowledge of them.

Staff felt supported to fulfil their role effectively through regular support and supervision and training applicable to their role.

We found that people who used the service at 209 Weston Road were happy and able to make decisions about their care and everyday activities. Where people needed assistance with more complex decisions the service ensured that their best interests were met.

We saw that people had choices about what they ate and were involved in selecting menus and preparing food. People were assisted to eat where this was needed. A person who used the service said, 'I like making fish cakes'.

People we spoke with told us they felt safe at the home. Staff had received training, and guidance was available to them on how to support people with challenging behaviour and protect them and others.

Staff received training and support appropriate to their role. A member of staff said, 'The manager is brilliant, she mucks in with the rest of us and is always there for advice'.

The routines and daily activities were flexible and staff responded to people's needs. The staffing provided ensured people were able to carry out planned activities. People spoke positively about the staff and the support they delivered. We saw people chose what to do and where to go and were provided with assistance from staff to keep safe in the community.

We saw that people's needs were assessed and care records were in place which recorded people's identified needs..Health records confirmed that people were supported to attend appointments with health professionals.

We looked at the way in which the home managed people's medicines and found that these were managed well. Two people told us they looked after their own medication and staff checked if they had taken them.

Staff told us that they were supported in their roles by the management of the home. People using the service felt there were sufficient staff on duty to meet their needs and do the things they wanted to do.