Background to this inspection
Updated
19 April 2018
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 was 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.
The inspection visit took place on 20 December 2017. It was a comprehensive inspection and was announced. This was to ensure the registered manager, staff and people who lived at the home were available to talk with us when we visited. The inspection was undertaken by one inspector.
We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We found the PIR reflected the service.
Prior to our visit we reviewed the information we held about the service. We looked at information received from relatives, the local authority commissioners and the statutory notifications the registered manager had sent us. A statutory notification is information about important events, which the provider is required to send to us by law. Commissioners are people who work to find appropriate care and support services, which are paid for by the local authority. Commissioners did not have any concerns about the service.
Before the inspection visit we contacted people who used the service by telephone and spoke with two relatives. During our visit we spoke with three people about what it was like to live at the home. We observed care and support being delivered in communal areas and we observed how people were supported at mealtimes. We also spoke with the registered manager, the team leader and one support worker about the service.
We reviewed three people's care plans and daily records to see how their care and treatment was planned and delivered. We checked whether staff were recruited safely, and trained to deliver care and support appropriate to each person's needs. We reviewed the provider's quality monitoring system.
Updated
19 April 2018
The inspection site visit took place on 20 December 2017 and was announced. 27A New Directions is a care home for people with learning disabilities. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. The care home is a first floor, shared flat and is registered to provide care for three people. At the time of our inspection visit there were three people living at the home. The service was working closely with the local authority and was undergoing a consultation process to consider changing from a residential service to a supported living service. A supported living service is where people’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements and they are enabled to live as independently as possible. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living, it only looks at people’s personal care and support. The consultation was still in progress at the time of our inspection visit.
At the last inspection in June 2015, the home formed part of a larger service owned by the same provider and it was rated Good overall. This was the first inspection the service had undergone since the provider reduced the size of the service. At this inspection, the service continues to be rated Good.
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.
People were protected from the risks of harm or abuse because staff were trained in safeguarding and understood their responsibilities to raise any concerns with the registered manager. The registered manager made sure there were enough suitably skilled, qualified and experienced staff to support people safely and effectively. Risks to people's health and wellbeing were managed. However, medicines were not always managed safely and checks had not identified where improvements were required.
Staff had the skill, experience and support to enable them to meet people’s needs effectively. The registered manager checked staff’s suitability to deliver care and support during the recruitment process.
Staff worked within the principles of the MCA and supported people to have maximum choice and control of their lives. People were supported to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced diet that met their needs and preferences.
Staff monitored people’s health and referred them to other healthcare professionals to maintain and improve their health.
People, relatives and staff felt well cared for. People and their relatives were included in planning how they were cared for and supported. Staff understood people’s diverse needs and interests and supported them to enjoy their lives according to their preferences. Staff respected people’s right to privacy and supported people to maintain their independence.
People were encouraged to maintain their links with the local community and opportunities to engage in activities that were meaningful to them.
People knew how to complain and had the opportunity to share their views and opinions about the service they received.
The registered manager and the provider demonstrated they valued care staff and promoted their learning and development. There was an open culture at the service where staff felt well supported, able to raise any concerns and put forward suggestions for improvements. The provider’s quality monitoring system included checking people received the care and support they needed, however it was not always effective.