Archived: The Highviews

The service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the 'Registering the Right Support' and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen. These values were seen consistently in practice at the service. For example, some people were receiving the assistance with communication they needed so that they could live independent lives and were supported to do so.

People’s experience of using this service:

People were cared for by staff who knew how to keep them safe and protect them from avoidable harm. There were sufficient staff available to meet people’s needs promptly. People received their medicines safely. Incidents and accidents were looked into and actions taken to prevent a reoccurrence. Infection control procedures were followed by staff.

People's needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered to meet legislation and good practice guidance. People were happy with the food provided. People were supported to have maximum choice in their lives and staff sought consent from people. One person said, “ I can make my own choices about what to wear and what to eat. Staff respect this.” When people were unable to make decisions about their care and support, staff followed the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (2005). People were supported by staff who received regular training to meet their needs. One person told us, “The staff are very good, they work very hard.”

People received kind and compassionate care. People’s independence was promoted by staff. People were treated with respect and dignity and supported to make decisions about their care.

People received personalised care that was tailored to meet their individual needs, preferences and choices. Care plans were detailed and guided staff about people's needs and how to meet them. People’s concerns and complaints were listened to used to improve the service they received. Staff had training and experience to provide end of life support when people needed it.

The registered manager and provider were well regarded and had a clear vision for the service which was understood by the staff and embedded within their practice. There were effective quality assurance systems in place that were used to drive service improvements. People, their relatives and staff were asked for their feedback about the home and meetings were held regularly.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection: The rating at the last inspection was Good. The last report was published on 15 August 2016

Why we inspected: This was a scheduled inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.

At the time of the inspection six people were living at The Highviews and 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The provider and registered manager were well regarded by people, their relatives and the staff. The ethos of the service was to provide professional care and promote independence within the atmosphere of a family home. This was understood by staff and embedded within their practice.

People were supported to make decisions and to be involved in planning their care. One person said, “They are always asking me about my care and what I want.” Care records reflected peoples personal preferences and were reviewed regularly to ensure staff had up to date information and guidance in how best to support people.

Staff had a clear understanding about how to keep people safe whilst supporting them to maintain their freedom and independence. Risks to individuals were identified and managed to ensure people were safe and staff demonstrated a good understanding of their responsibilities for protecting people from harm or abuse. There were robust arrangements in place to ensure that people could receive their medicines safely.

The provider had a thorough recruitment and induction process for new staff and there were sufficient staff to care for people’s needs. One person said, “There’s always carers around if I need anything.” Staffing levels were consistent and regular staff provided continuity for the people living at The Highviews.

Staff were well supported in their roles and had received regular training, supervision and appraisals. One staff member said, “We get good training and the trainer makes it relevant so we can relate it to our job.” People and their relatives told us they had confidence in the staff and that they were well trained.

People had developed positive, caring relationships with staff and they told us that they were happy with the care they received. A relative told us, “Staff are very caring, it’s a homely atmosphere and they communicate with our relative very well.” Care records were personalised and reflected the preferences, wishes and interests of people.

People had confidence that staff listened and acted upon any concerns or complaints raised. The provider used feedback from people, relatives and other professionals as well learning from incidents and accidents to drive improvements in the service.

People were supported to have enough to eat and drink and their choices regarding food and drink were respected. Staff ensured that people were able to access health care services when required and made referrals quickly when people’s health needs changed. Staff understood their role with regard to ensuring that people’s rights were upheld in line with the MCA. Staff understood when they needed to make a decision in the person’s best interest.

We saw that people experienced safe and effective care based on detailed care plans and risk assessments that met individual need.

People using the service were protected from abuse as they were supported by a staff team who had appropriate knowledge and training in safeguarding adults. people told us if they had any concerns they would report them to a manager.

Staff we spoke to and records we reviewed demonstrated that staff were suitably experienced and skilled to support people living in the home.

The provider had effective systems in place to monitor and assess the quality of the service.

The people who used the service we spoke with told us they were happy with the care they received and with the staff team. One person told us 'I like the staff. If you have problems, they help you'. Another person told us 'I think I like it all here really'.

Staff we spoke with knew the people who lived at the home well and had a good understanding of their support needs. One member of staff we spoke with told us 'I think people are happy here, we do our best and this is a happy home'.

Staff we spoke with said that they had undertaken safeguarding vulnerable adults training and all knew the correct procedure to follow if they witnessed abuse. We spoke with people who used the service who told us that they felt safe and knew who to talk to if they had any concerns.

During our visit, staff we spoke with confirmed that they had received relevant training and support and felt that there was an open and inclusive atmosphere within the home. We saw that the service ensured staff were able to deliver care and treatment safely through regular training and assessments. The service had systems in place to monitor the quality of the service provided and to gain the views of the people who used the service.