Archived: Sansigra Care Home

Updated 7 January 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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 7 December 2015 and was announced. The inspection was carried out by one inspector. Before the inspection we reviewed previous inspection reports and other information we held about the service including notifications. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send to us by law.

We spoke with six people who lived at the service in order to find out their experience of the care and support they received. We also spoke with the registered providers and manager.Following the inspection visit we spoke with two relatives and two professionals.

We looked at three people’s care records, medicine records and other records associated with the management of the service including audits.

Updated 7 January 2016

We inspected Sansigra Care Home on 7 December 2015. This was an announced inspection. We told the provider two days before our inspection visit that we would be coming. This was because we wanted to make sure people would be at home to speak with us. The service was last inspected on 23 May 2014. During that inspection visit we found the service was meeting regulations.

Sansigra Care Home provides care and accommodation for up to eight people who have a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder. There were six people living at the service at the time of the inspection visit.

The service is situated in a rural setting on the outskirts of the city of Truro. It is a small holding with two horse’s, chickens and some cattle. There are transport vehicles to support people to use community facilities.

The service had a registered manager in place. 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.

Some people were able to verbally communicate with us but others were not, therefore we observed how people interacted with each other and with staff. We observed that people were relaxed, engaged in their own choice of activities and appeared to be happy and well supported by the service.

People were supported to lead full and varied lives and staff supported them to engage in a wide variety of activities. People told us, “I like the horses and we go to the garden centre sometimes. We do a lot of things here” and “I go to (relative name) for holidays. I like football so I go and watch It with (staff name)”.

People told us they felt safe living at Sansigra. One person said, “Yes, I always feel safe here, they (staff) are kind”. Arrangements were in place to protect people from abuse and unsafe care.

The service was meeting the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and the associated Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

People had a choice of meals, snacks and drinks, which they told us they enjoyed. There was flexibility in what people might want to eat.

The environment was of a homely nature. Rooms were personalised where people had wanted to include their own items.

People had individual support plans, detailing the support they needed and how they wanted this to be provided. Professional we spoke with told us the staff team were responsive to people’s needs and made changes where necessary.

Care records were detailed and contained specific information to guide staff who were supporting people. Life history profiles about each person were developed in a format which was more meaningful for people. This included large print and pictorial information This meant staff were able to use them as communication tools.

Risk assessments were in place for day to day events and to support people’s life choices. For example going out into the community . This information was included in people’s care documentation.

Medicine procedures were safe. Medicines were administered as prescribed and at the times prescribed. Records were accurate and audited regularly.

There was a system of quality assurance checks in place. People and their relatives were regularly consulted about how the home was run. Relatives said, “I am confident (persons name) is very well cared for and happy living at Sansigra” and “I am always kept informed and updated about (persons name). I think they are good at keeping us up to date”.