Background to this inspection
Updated
26 October 2019
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
One inspector carried out this inspection.
Service and service type
Beulah House 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 in post who was going through the registration process with the CQC to become a registered manager. This means that they will, along with the provider, be legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was announced. The provider was given 24 hours' notice because the location was a small care home for adults who are often out during the day; we needed to be sure that someone would be in.
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 took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.
We asked the local authority and Healthwatch for any information they had which would aid our inspection. Local authorities together with other agencies may have responsibility for funding people who used the service and monitoring its quality. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with two people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. In addition, we spent time with people in the communal areas observing the care and support provided to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us. Following this inspection site visit we spoke with two relatives on the phone.
We spoke with five members of staff including the manager, three care staff members and the area manager.
We reviewed a range of records. This included two people's care records including the records of medicine administration. We looked at one staff member’s file in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. In addition, we looked at a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including quality monitoring checks.
Updated
26 October 2019
About the service
Beulah House is a small location providing accommodation for up to five people with learning disabilities and who require nursing or personal care. At this inspection five people were living there.
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's experience of using this service and what we found
People were not always safe as the systems and procedures at Beulah House were ineffective in identifying improvements needed in safety.
People did not always receive their medicines safely. Staff members did not always follow the guidelines in place for safely supporting people. The provider did not have effective systems in place to identify all errors with medicines.
The physical environment at Beulah House did not always promote effective infection prevention and control measures. Not all aspects of Beulah House were safe for those living there.
The providers quality monitoring procedures were ineffective in identifying the improvements which were needed to drive good care and support.
People were protected from harm and abuse as the staff team had been trained to recognise potential signs of abuse and understood what to do. People had information on how to raise concerns and were confident any issues would be addressed correctly.
People had individual assessments of risk associated with their care and support. Staff members were aware of the necessary action they should take in the event of an emergency.
The provider supported staff in providing effective care for people through person-centred care planning, training and one-to-one supervision. People had access to additional healthcare services when required.
People were supported to maintain a healthy diet by a staff team which knew their individual likes and dislikes.
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 received help and support from a kind and compassionate staff team with whom they had developed positive relationships. People were supported by staff members who were aware of their individual protected characteristics like age, gender, disability and religion. People were provided with information in a way they could understand. The provider had systems in place to encourage and respond to any complaints or compliments from people or those close to them.
The provider, and management team, had good links with the local communities within which people lived.
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was 'Good', (published 04 May 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 reinspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Beulah House on our website at www.cqc.org.uk
Full information about CQC's regulatory response to the more serious concerns found during inspections is added to reports after any representations and appeals have been concluded.