Archived: Goddard Avenue

Updated 12 October 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 12 September 2015 and was announced. One inspector carried out this inspection. During our last inspection in August 2013 we found the provider satisfied the legal requirements in the areas that we looked at.

Before we visited we looked at previous inspection reports and notifications we had received. Services tell us about important events relating to the care they provide using a notification.

We used a number of different methods to help us understand the experiences of people who use the service. This included talking with three people about their views on the quality of the care and support being provided. We looked at documents that related to people’s care and support and the management of the service. We reviewed a range of records which included three care and support plans, staff training records, staff duty rosters, staff personnel files, policies and procedures and quality monitoring documents. We looked around the premises and observed care practices for part of the day.

During our inspection we observed how staff supported and interacted with people who use the service. We spoke with the registered manager and three support workers.

Updated 12 October 2015

Goddard Avenue offers care and accommodation for up to six people with a learning disability. It is run by Royal Mencap Society which is a national charity providing services for people with a learning disability. At the time of our inspection there were three people living in the home.

The inspection took place on 12 September 2015. This was an announced inspection. As we were visiting the service on a Saturday we rang the day before the inspection to ensure that there would be someone at home on the day of our visit. During our last inspection in August 2013 we found the provider satisfied the legal requirements in the areas that we looked at.

A registered manager was employed by the service who had been in post for three months and was currently going through induction. 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.

Whilst people’s medicines were managed appropriately so people received them safely, on the day of our inspection we found bottles of medicines which had not been labelled when opened. Staff we spoke with were also not aware of the procedure for ordering people’s medicines.

When asked if they liked living at Goddard Avenue people said “Yes”. People told us they felt supported by staff and could ask for help when needed. We observed staff interacting with people in a kind and friendly manner, involving people in choices around their daily living.

People were supported to eat a balanced diet. People had access to the kitchen where they could make drinks throughout the day.

People were supported to access healthcare services to maintain and support good health.

There were systems in place to protect people from the risk of abuse and potential harm. Staff were aware of their responsibility to report any concerns they had about people’s safety and welfare. People told us they felt safe living in the home.

Staff told us they felt supported. Staff received training to enable them to meet people’s needs.

There were enough staff deployed to fully meet people’s health and social care needs. The registered manager and provider had systems in place to ensure safe recruitment practices were followed.

Arrangements were in place for keeping the home clean and hygienic and to ensure people were protected from the risk of infections.

The registered manager and staff had knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. The service was meeting the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

We found one breach 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 the report.