Archived: D Solanki - 14 Podsmead Road

Updated 23 January 2015

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 19 November 2014 and was announced. 24 hours notice of the inspection was given because the service is a small care home for younger adults who are often out during the day; we needed to be sure that someone would be in.

One inspector carried out this inspection. We looked at information we had received about the service such as notifications. Services tell us about important events relating to the service they provide using a notification. We also looked at previous inspection reports.

As part of this inspection we observed the care provided to two people living in the home and spoke with two care staff, the registered manager and the registered provider. Not everyone was able to verbally share their experiences of life at the home. This was because of their complex needs. We therefore spent time observing their care and support. We reviewed three people’s care records and their daily care and medicines records. We also looked at recruitment records for two members of staff, training records and quality assurance audits. During the inspection we spoke with two social care professionals. Following our visit we had feedback from two health care professionals.

Updated 23 January 2015

This was an announced inspection which was carried out on the 19 November 2014. There was a registered manager in post. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

D Solanki - 14 Podsmead Road provides personal care and accommodation for five people with a learning disability who may also have autism. A ground floor bedroom is equipped to support a person with physical disabilities. This was vacant at the time of our inspection. Accommodation is spread over three floors and people share bathrooms, a lounge and lounge/dining room. There are pleasant gardens to the rear of the home. At the time of our inspection three people were living at the home, one of whom had been admitted to hospital. The people living at 14 Podsmead Road have a range of skills. Some people have limited verbal communication skills. People have help with personal care and support when they become anxious. They receive the help from staff at all times and most people require the support of staff for activities outside of the home.

The provider had not effectively monitored the care provided. Quality audits produced by the registered manager identified improvements which could be made to the service but these were not monitored or addressed. People and those important to them did not have the opportunity to provide feedback as part of the review of the quality of the service. The provider had not notified the Care Quality Commission about incidents affecting the wellbeing of people living in the home.

People were safeguarded from possible abuse or harm. Accidents and incidents were monitored and action was taken to keep people safe. People’s safety was considered when appointing new staff and checks were completed to make sure staff were competent and of good character. Staff had access to training to develop their skills. They had the knowledge and understanding of people’s needs to carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively. Staff had individual meetings with the registered manager to reflect on their performance and their training needs. A member of staff told us, “This is the most supported environment I’ve ever worked in.”

Innovative and creative methods were used to encourage people to make choices and decisions about their day to day lives. Where people were unable to make decisions for aspects of their care these were done in their best interests involving relatives and health and social care professionals. People had a varied diet of their choice which was nutritious and healthy. They were supported to attend appointments with health care professionals to keep them well. People were supported with kindness, sensitivity and patience. Staff responded to people’s changing needs promptly with care and concern. Where people were unable to give verbal feedback about their views, staff interpreted their behaviour to assess their feelings about their care and support. People’s individuality and preferences for their lifestyle were recognised and respected. People enjoyed a range of activities which took into account their personal interests and backgrounds. People were helped to gain independence and try new activities.

The registered manager led by example and promoted a culture of respect and compassion. Staff felt supported. Staff and social and health care professionals had confidence in her knowledge and experience. A relative told the registered manager, “Thank all those involved in taking care of (Name). We could not have wished for better!”

We found two breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010 and of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Registration) Regulations 2009. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of this report.