• Care Home
  • Care home

Royal Mencap Society - 30 Foster Court

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

30 Foster Court, Longton Hall Road, Blurton, Stoke On Trent, Staffordshire, ST3 2HF (01782) 593467

Provided and run by:
Royal Mencap Society

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about Royal Mencap Society - 30 Foster Court on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.

This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.

If you have concerns about Royal Mencap Society - 30 Foster Court, you can give feedback on this service.

7 August 2020

During an inspection looking at part of the service

About the service:

Royal Mencap Society- 30 Foster Court is a care home that provides accommodation and personal care for up to eight people who receive support with learning and/or physical disabilities. At the time of the inspection seven people were living at 30 Foster Court.

We found the following examples of good practice:

¿ People were supported to maintain contact with family and friends. Two people who used the service had birthdays and relatives were part of the celebrations through Facetime so they could see their relatives enjoying themselves and felt included in their special day.

¿ People were supported to utilse technology to attend a video drama group and a church group to support people with their religious needs.

¿ Risk assessments for community access had been completed, considering quieter times to acess shops and utilising local parks and outside spaces, which ensured the risks to people were mitigated as much as possible.

¿ People who used the service had access to the testing procedure in a format they understood. There was a video available for people to watch so they understood what the test involved. One person wanted to do their own test and they were supported to do this independently with support from a health professional.

¿ Discussions with staff were held to reduce any anxieties and the provider had ensured mental health services were available for staff to use if needed.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

28 August 2019

During a routine inspection

About the service:

Royal Mencap Society- 30 Foster Court is a care home that provides accommodation and personal care for up to eight people who receive support with learning and/or physical disabilities. Accommodation is found across two floors and people had access to communal social, dining and bathroom facilities. At the time of the inspection eight people were living at 30 Foster Court.

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.

The service was a large home, somewhat bigger than most domestic style properties. However, the size of the service was not having a negative impact on people who were living there. There were deliberately no identifying signs to indicate it was a care home.

The Secretary of State has asked the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to conduct a thematic review and to make recommendations about the use of restrictive interventions in settings that provide care for people with or who might have mental health problems, learning disabilities and/or autism. Thematic reviews look in-depth at specific issues concerning quality of care across the health and social care sectors. They expand our understanding of both good and poor practice and of the potential drivers of improvement.

As part of thematic review, we carried out a survey with the registered manager at this inspection. This considered whether the service used any restrictive intervention practices (restraint, seclusion and segregation) when supporting people.

The service used minimal restrictive intervention practices as a last resort, in a person-centred way, in line with positive behaviour support principles. Care records indicated when and how such practices were to be used.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

At the time of the inspection, we received mixed feedback about staffing levels; although people appeared to receive support from appropriate levels of staff, we were informed that staffing levels were under review. Safe recruitment systems were in place. People received care and support by staff who had been appropriately recruited and had undergone the necessary recruitment checks.

People’s level of risk was appropriately assessed and well managed from the outset. People received support that was tailored around their support needs and areas of risk were regularly reviewed.

Safeguarding procedures were in place. Staff were familiar with safeguarding and whistleblowing reporting processes and understood the importance of keeping people safe.

Medication procedures and processes were safely in place. Staff were appropriately trained, had their competency levels regularly assessed and supported people with their medicines in a safe and effective way.

Staff received support with training, learning and development opportunities. Staff received regular supervisions, appraisals and offered a variety of different training sessions as a way of developing their skills and abilities.

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.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported people in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People received effective nutrition and hydration support from the outset. Care records contained relevant information and guidance that needed to be followed and staff were familiar with the required level of support that needed to be provided.

Staff provided kind, friendly and compassionate level of care. People were encouraged to remain as independent as possible and were supported to make decisions about aspects of care and support they needed.

Staff primarily supported people with one to one activities; one to one activities were tailored activities around people’s interests, enjoyments and likes.

The registered provider had an up to date complaints policy in place. Complaints were appropriately managed and responded to in line with company policy.

We found that there was effective processes and systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of care people received. Quality assurance checks were routinely carried out and the provision of care was monitored, assessed and improved upon accordingly.

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 29 March 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.

22 February 2017

During a routine inspection

We inspected 30 Foster Court on 22 February 2017, which was unannounced. At our last inspection on 23 October 2014. We found that the legal requirements were being met.

30 Foster Court is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to eight people. People who used the service predominately had a learning disability and/or a physically disability. At the time of our inspection there were seven people who used the service.

The service had 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.

Medicines were managed in a way that kept people safe.

People were kept safe because staff understood how to recognise possible signs of abuse and the actions they needed to take if people were at risk of harm.

People’s risks were assessed in a way that kept them safe whilst promoting their independence.

We found that there were enough suitably qualified staff available to meet people’s needs in a timely manner. The registered manager made changes to staffing levels when people’s needs changed.

Staff were trained to carry out their role and the provider had safe recruitment procedures that ensured people were supported by suitable staff.

Staff had a good knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The MCA and the DoLS set out the requirements that ensure where appropriate decisions are made in people’s best interests where they are unable to do this for themselves.

People’s capacity had been assessed and staff knew how to support people in a way that was in

their best interests. We found that where people were able they consented to their care and treatment.

People were supported with their individual nutritional needs and were able to access other health services with support from staff.

People told us and we that saw staff were kind and compassionate. Staff treated people with respect, gave choices and listened to what people wanted.

People’s preferences in care were recorded throughout the care plans and we saw that people were supported to be involved in hobbies and interests that were important to them.

The provider had a complaints procedure that was available to people in a format that they understood.

Staff told us that the registered manager was approachable. Staff understood the values of the service and were enthusiastic about their role and what their support meant for people.

People and staff were encouraged to provide feedback on the service provided. The registered manager had systems in place to assess and monitor the quality of the service provided.

23 October 2014

During a routine inspection

We inspected 30 Foster Court on 23 October 2014 which was unannounced. At the last inspection on 24 July 2013, we asked the provider to take action to make improvements to the way staff responded to an emergency, the management of medicines and how records were stored, and we found that these actions had been completed.

30 Foster Court is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to eight people. People who use the service predominately had a learning disability. At the time of our inspection there were eight people who used the service.

The service had 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.

People who used the service received their medicines safely. Systems were in place that ensured people were protected from the risks associated with medicine management.

People’s risks were assessed. We saw that staff carried out support in a safe way whilst promoting and maintaining their independence.

We saw that there were sufficient qualified and experienced staff available to meet people’s assessed needs. The registered manager had made changes to the staffing levels which ensured people were kept safe.

People who used the service and their relatives told us the staff treated them with compassion, dignity and respect. We saw that staff listened to people and encouraged them to make choices and decisions about their care.

Staff received regular training which ensured they had the knowledge and skills required to meet people’s needs. Staff were supported to carry out their role effectively.

We found that some people who used the service were unable to make certain decisions about their care. In these circumstances the legal requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) were being followed. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the DoLS set out the requirements that ensure where appropriate decisions are made in people’s best interests when they are unable to do this for themselves.

People were supported at mealtimes and had regular access to other health professionals that ensured their health and wellbeing needs were met.

We saw that the provider promoted an open culture. People and staff told us that the management were approachable and that they listened to them.

The registered manager regularly monitored the quality of the service provided and action plans were in place where improvements were needed.

24 July 2013

During a routine inspection

During our inspection we spoke with three people who used the service, two relatives, four members of care staff and the registered manager. People told us they were happy with their care. One person told us, 'It's good here. The staff are nice and the food is nice'. A relative told us, 'My relative is in good hands. He's waited on hand and foot'.

During our last inspection, we found that improvements were needed to ensure that people were protected from the risks associated with the unsafe use and management of medicines. During this inspection, we found that further improvements were needed to ensure that medicines were stored and administered safely.

We saw that people people's consent was sought when appropriate, and when people were unable to consent, decisions were made in their best interests.

People received care and support from staff who had received the required training and support and people felt able to tell staff if they were unhappy with their care.

We found that effective systems were not in place to respond to emergencies and people's care records did not always contain up to date support plans and records were not always stored securely.

26 February 2013

During a routine inspection

There were seven people living at Royal Mencap Society, Foster Court, Stoke on Trent, at the time of the inspection. During the inspection we spoke with three people using the service, the registered manager and three staff members. We reviewed documentation including care plans and made observations throughout the visit. Three of the people using the service needed a great deal of personal care and had learning disabilities, with limited communication skills. The other four people were more independent with the ability to express themselves.

People using the service were asked in a number of ways how they wanted their care to be delivered and their dignity and privacy was promoted and maintained. People using the service we spoke to all said they 'really liked' living at the home and staff involved them with what went on.

Effective, safe and appropriate care was received by people using the service, to meet their needs.

We found the medication storage systems in place did not ensure that people received medication which was safe to be dispensed.

Evidence we gathered indicated that staffing levels were adequate and that staff were supported through appropriate training. This included both core and additional. One staff member said 'the training provided gave them the confidence to do their job'.

Systems and processes were in place to monitor the quality of service and to ensure people benefit from the service provided.

19 December 2011

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We undertook this review to check that people were being cared for safely.

The home was divided into two flats. People living upstairs were quite independent and those we spoke with told us that they liked living there. They told us they did lots of activities around the home including deciding on their meals, cooking and helping with cleaning and tidying their bedrooms.

People living downstairs were more dependent and had needs relating to dementia. These people had specialist communication needs and staff were aware of how they expressed their likes and dislikes. We observed that their health and personal care needs were identified and met. There was evidence of specialist health care support being provided.

People living at thehome were supported to have their personal care needs. The had daily showers and had their hair and nail care addressed. Where people had specialist dietary needs the staff were aware of this and provided people with the support they needed.

Staff were trained to meet people's needs and had specific training in meeting the needs of people with dementia.

The service had both internal and external systems in place to review and monitor the quality of the service.