54 Leylands Road

Updated 13 November 2021

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was undertaken by one inspector.

Service and service type

54 Leylands Road is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small and people are often out and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

What we did before the inspection

The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed information held on the service. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with four people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with four members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager and care workers. We spoke with one visiting social care professional.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with two healthcare professionals who regularly visit the service and two relatives of people who use the service.

Updated 13 November 2021

About the service

54 Leylands Road is a residential care home which provides accommodation and support for up to six adults with mental health conditions. The service supports people of mixed ages who are largely independent and assisted where needed to improve their life and skills. At the time of our inspection there were six people living at the service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People told us they felt safe living at the service. We observed people speaking freely with staff and the registered manager. One person told us, “It's good here, to be fair I don’t need much, I like to have the staff around, they're good fun.” People appeared relaxed and were supported to live independent lives. They were empowered to take positive risks, such as going into town or taking the train to visit their friends and families.

People were protected from the risk of abuse by trained staff who knew how to recognise and report concerns. Staff were recruited safely and received training relevant to their role. One staff member told us, “In my induction I read policies and care plans and shadowed senior staff.”

Before moving into the service people's needs were assessed and frequently reviewed. People enjoyed a healthy diet catered to their needs and preferences. One person told us, "I cook myself; I am pretty good at it as I've had a fair amount of practice."

People were supported by knowledgeable staff who knew them well. We saw positive interactions between people and staff during the inspection. People were happy to talk to us and tell us about the support they received. One person told us, “Staff are friendly, they get on well with us.”

People were encouraged to be independent, and to maintain relationships with friends and family. People told us they were able to visit their loved ones when they chose, relatives confirmed this. The service welcomed visitors and had set up a visiting room if needed, in addition to in room visits if this was the preferred option.

People, their relatives and staff were encouraged to give comments, suggestions or complaints regarding the service. The registered manager was visible and accessible if anyone needed to speak with them. One staff member told us, “[Registered manager] is lovely, relaxed and easy to talk to, I have had no problems, I could go to them with problems.”

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People were involved in the running of the service and were encouraged to voice their opinions. The service was led by a registered manager and their team who took pride in their work. One staff member told us, “The best thing about working here is it's quite relaxed, I feel the clients are comfortable living here, this makes me feel like we are doing the right thing.”

The service proactively contacted professionals if a person needed support. One visiting healthcare professional told us, “We know each other's working styles and I know what they are capable of, if there is something, they will contact me really quickly. They are willing to come up with a plan.”

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

This service was registered with us on 10 June 2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This is the first inspection for this newly registered service.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.