Archived: 8 Chestnut Road

There was a registered manager in post who also worked at another registered home which was part of Milestone Trust. 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. The registered manager had delegated the day to day management responsibility to a team leader.

Due to the nature of the service and that only one person was living in the home at the time of the inspection. We have not included our evidence in the main body of the report to protect the confidentiality of the person. The full report has been shared with the provider.

The person benefited from a service that was tailored to their individual care and support needs. Staff supported the person throughout the day and night on a one to one basis. Staff felt isolated. External support systems that were provided were not as effective as they should have been in supporting the staff remotely. The person’s behavioural care plan requires more information to guide staff to meet the person’s needs consistently.

The person was protected from the risk of abuse because there were clear procedures in place to recognise and respond to abuse and staff had been trained in how to follow these procedures. Systems were in place to ensure the person was safe. These included risk management, checks on the environment and safe recruitment processes. Staff knew what to do to keep the person safe.

A care plan was in place that clearly described how the person wanted to be supported. This was tailored to the person. Care was effective and responsive to person’s changing needs. The person had access to healthcare professionals when they became unwell or required specialist advice. The person received their medicines safely.

The person’s rights were upheld and they were involved in decisions about their care and support. Where decisions were more complex these had been discussed with relatives and other health care professionals to ensure it was in the person’s best interest. Staff were knowledgeable about legislation to protect people in relation to making decisions and safeguards in respect of deprivation of liberty safeguards. An appropriate application had been made in respect of these safeguards ensuring the person was protected.

Staff had received appropriate training to support the person living at the service. Staff were supported in their role and received regular supervisions. Supervisions are where a member of staff meets with a senior manager to discuss their role, performance and training needs.

Systems were in place to ensure that any complaints were responded to. The person’s views were sought through an annual survey and through monthly meetings.

The staff, the team leader and a representative from Milestones Trust completed regular checks on the systems that were in operation in the home to ensure they were effective.

The person was provided with an effective, caring and responsive service that was well led. The organisation’s values and philosophy were clearly explained to staff.

We found two breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of this report.

At the time of our inspection there were two people living at 8 Chestnut Road. One person was at home while we were told the other person was away with their family.

The person at home was unable to verbally tell us about the care they received and if they were happy. We observed how staff interacted and supported this person, to enable us to make a judgement on how their needs were being met.

We examined the person's care plan documentation to see if an appropriate level of care was being provided, in line with their assessed needs. The person appeared relaxed around the staff members who were supporting them.

We observed that people were supported to live as independently as possible, and that they had access to the local community. People were helped with all aspects of their health and well being.

We spoke with the two members of staff that were on duty. The staff demonstrated that they had a good understanding and awareness of the needs of people who lived at 8 Chestnut Road. Staff we spoke with told us they felt they provided a high quality service to people using the service.