Archived: 5 George V Avenue

Updated 19 March 2020

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.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

5 George V Avenue is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as 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 a four days’ 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

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection. We contacted the local authority commissioning and safeguarding teams to ask for their views about the service. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with four people living at the home for their views on the service they received. We also spoke with the registered manager for the home and a family member who is a provider partner, three staff members one of whom is a family member of the registered manager. We spent time observing the support people received. We reviewed two people’s care plans, three staff recruitment records and records relating to the management of the home including medicine administration records, staff training and supervision information and records related to health and safety checks.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 19 March 2020

About the service

5 George V Avenue is a residential care home, providing accommodation and personal care for five people with learning disabilities. This is a family run service, in which the registered manager and family share their home and lives with the people they support and care for. At the time of the inspection there were four people using the service.

Service type

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

People’s experience of using this service

People received outstanding highly responsive care from staff who valued everyone’s uniqueness. People’s well-being was enhanced as a result of the way staff responded to their needs. Staff worked with people in an inclusive and empowering way and with families in full partnership, where appropriate. People enjoyed a range of activities that encouraged social interaction. People received highly personalised end of life care.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

Medicines were safely managed. We have made a recommendation that the provider consult and implement best practice guidance on assessing staff competency to administer medicines.

People and their relatives told us they felt safe at the home. Staff understood their roles in safeguarding people from harm, abuse or discrimination. Risks to people were identified and assessed. There was guidance for staff on how to manage these risks safely. There was a process to identify learning from accidents, incidents and safeguarding concerns. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs and safe recruitment practices were in place.

People were asked for their consent before care was provided. 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.

Staff were supported to ensure they had suitable skills and knowledge to meet people’s needs. Staff worked closely with health professionals to ensure people’s health needs were identified and met. People’s nutritional needs were assessed and supported.

The home had been was adapted to meet the range of needs of the people living there.

People and their relatives were highly complimentary of the care provided. They told us staff consistently treated them with dignity and respect and encouraged their independence. People were involved in decision making about their care and support. There was an accessible complaints system and people had information made available in a format that met their needs.

The registered manager promoted an open culture of empowerment, communication and inclusiveness. They worked proactively with other agencies and was visible as an effective leader. Staff told us they enjoyed their work and that the registered manager was approachable and supportive.

The home engaged with a range of community groups and people accessed the community regularly. There was a system to monitor the quality and safety of the service and any learning was identified and acted on. People’s and their relatives’ views about the service were asked for and acted on in order to drive improvements.

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

Rating at last inspection:

The last rating for this service was good (published 27 July 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

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.