This inspection took place on 10 September 2018 and was announced. We gave the service four days’ notice of our inspection. We gave notice because the service is a short breaks service that at any one time supports up to six people with learning disabilities. We wanted those people to know we would be visiting. The service supports 42 people at various times throughout the year. People are allowed to spend up to 60 nights at the service during the course of a year. Short break stays last between two and 12 nights. At the time of our inspection four people were using the service.
The care 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.
At the last inspection on 25 May 2017, this service was rated as requires improvement. Improvements were required to the management of medicines, recording of best interest decisions and ensuring that CQC were notified of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards authorisations. At this inspection, we found that improvements had been made and sustained and the service was rated overall good.
Staff understood their roles and responsibilities to safeguard people from the risk of harm. Risk assessments were in place and were reviewed regularly; people received their care as planned to mitigate their assessed risks.
Safe recruitment processes were in place. People received care from staff that had received training and support to carry out their roles.
People were supported to access relevant health and social care professionals. There were systems in place to manage medicines in a safe way.
Staff demonstrated their understanding of the Mental Capacity Act, 2005 (MCA). Staff gained people's consent before providing personal care. People were involved in the planning of their care which was person centred and updated before they came to the service for their latest stay.
People were supported with their nutritional needs. Special dietary and cultural requirements were met.
People stayed in rooms they had used before unless they requested otherwise. They were supported to bring personal possessions with them to make their stay ‘homely’. People had use of communal areas where they socialised with other people and had use of a sensory room and garden.
People were encouraged to make decisions about how their care was provided and their privacy and dignity were protected and promoted. People had developed positive relationships with staff. Staff had a good understanding of people's needs and preferences.
People were supported to express themselves, their views were acknowledged and acted upon and care and support was delivered in the way that people chose and preferred.
People using the service and their relatives knew how to raise a concern or make a complaint.
The service had a registered manager. 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.
The registered manager was supported by a service improvement manager and, with the provider, they were developing a five-year plan for this and other short break services. The provider had effective arrangements for quality assurance which drove improvement.