31 May 2017
During a routine inspection
The inspection was announced. The provider was given 48 hours' notice because we wanted to make sure the registered manager and staff would be available to speak with us. The inspection was carried out by one adult social care inspector.
There was no 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 and has the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law; as does the provider. 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 provider had submitted an application to CQC to register as manager.
People received a service that was safe. The provider/manager and staff understood their role and responsibilities to keep people safe from harm. Risks were assessed and plans put in place to keep people safe. There was enough staff to safely provide care and support to people. Checks were carried out on staff before they started work to assess their suitability to support vulnerable people. Medicines were well managed and people received their medicines as prescribed.
The service was effective in meeting people’s needs. Staff received regular supervision and the training needed to meet people’s needs. The manager and staff understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and, worked to ensure people's rights were respected.
People received a service that was caring. They were cared for by staff who knew them well. Staff treated people with dignity and respect. People’s views were actively sought and they were involved in making decisions about their care and support.
The service was responsive to people’s needs. People received person centred care and support. People were encouraged to make their views known and the service responded by making changes. The manager and senior staff welcomed comments and complaints and saw them as an opportunity to improve the care provided.
People benefitted from a service that was well led. The vision, values and culture of the service were clearly communicated to and understood by staff. A comprehensive quality assurance system was in place. This meant the quality of service people received was monitored on a regular basis and where shortfalls were identified, they were acted upon.