Background to this inspection
Updated
1 May 2018
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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
This inspection took place on 21 March 2018 and was announced. We told the registered manager forty-eight hours before our inspection that we would be coming. This was because we wanted to make sure that the registered manager and other appropriate staff were available to speak with us on the day of our inspection. One inspector undertook the inspection.
We previously carried out a comprehensive inspection on 27 January 2016.
The provider had completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We looked at other information we held about the service. This included previous inspection reports and notifications. Notifications are changes, events or incidents that the service must inform us about. We contacted the local authority commissioning team to ask them about their experiences of the service provided and two visiting health and social care professionals and received two responses. We also contacted two people’s relatives for their experiences of the service provided and received two responses.
We spoke with people generally during the inspection. However, people could not fully communicate with us due to their conditions. We spent time observing how people were cared for and supported and their interactions with staff to understand their experience of living in the service. We spoke with two care staff, and the registered manager. We spent time looking at records, including two people’s care and support records, three staff files, and other records relating to the management of the service, such as policies and procedures, accident/incident recording and audit documentation. We observed the administration of medicines. We also ‘pathway tracked’ the care for two people using the service. This is where we check that the care detailed in individual plans matches the experience of the person receiving care. It was an important part of our inspection, as it allowed us to capture information about a sample of people receiving care.
Updated
1 May 2018
The inspection took place on the 21 March 2018 and was announced.
92 Cromwell Road provides tailored support packages for people with a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder. This service provides care and support to people living in a ‘supported living’ setting, so that they can live in their own home as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support. At the time of the inspection three people were living in the service. People have their own bedroom and shared the communal facilities. The service is situated in a residential area with easy access to local amenities and transport links.
At the last inspection on 27 January 2016 the service was rated overall Good. At this inspection we found the service remained overall Good. At the last inspection robust supervision of care staff had not always been in place. We asked the provider to take action to make improvements in supervision procedures and this action has been completed. One member of staff told us, “Now we know further ahead when they (Supervisions) are happening. They are much more regular. Personal Development Plans (PDP’s) the (Annual review process) are done annually and refreshed at six months.”
Systems had been maintained to keep people safe. People remained protected from the risk of abuse because staff understood how to identify and report it. Assessments of risks to people had been developed. Staff told us they had received supervision, and continued to be supported to develop their skills and knowledge by receiving training which helped them to carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively. Care staff had the knowledge and skills to provide the care and support that people needed.
People's individual care and support needs continued to be identified before they received a service. Care and support provided was personalised and based on the identified needs of each person. People had been listened to, supported to be independent and they were involved in decisions about their care. Staff had a good understanding of consent.
Relatives were very happy with the care provided. People continued to be supported by kind and caring staff who treated them with respect and dignity. They were spoken with and supported in a sensitive, respectful and professional manner. People were supported to access a range of social activities.
The provider continued to have arrangements in place for the safe administration of medicines. People were supported to get their medicine safely when they needed it. People were supported with their food and drink and this was monitored regularly. People continued to be supported to maintain good health.
Relatives and staff told us the service continued to be well led. One member of staff told us, “We are working on moving upwards. We have more direction.” Staff told us the registered manager was always approachable and had an open door policy if they required some advice or needed to discuss something. The registered manager carried out a range of internal audits, and records confirmed this. People and their relatives were regularly consulted about the care provided through reviews and by using quality assurance questionnaires.