Archived: Green Acres

Updated 8 May 2015

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 the 16 and 19 December 2014 and was unannounced.

This inspection was conducted by one inspector. The was a solo inspection because of potential disruption in a small home for only six people. The manager had previously raised that some people who lived there did not like and reacted badly large groups of strangers visiting at the same time.

Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed our other records to gather information. We reviewed the last inspection report, notifications that the provider is required to send us (A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law) and information received from the public and healthcare professionals.

People who used the service communicated in different ways. For example, sign language, using only a few words, sounds, actions, or a mixture of these. As well as using observation and interaction and communicating with in other ways to people, we also contacted relatives of people to help inform our judgements. We spoke with three relatives, the registered manager, and three members of staff. We had feedback about the quality of the service from a care manager, an occupational therapist, a community opticians manager and a Specialist Assessor from the local authority integrated Disabilities Team.

We also attended an activity in the community that most of the people were attending that day to help us understand how they were cared for outside the home. We looked at all areas of the home including people’s bedrooms, communal bathrooms, kitchen, lounge and garden.

We spent some time looking at documents and records that related to peoples care and the management of the home. We looked at people’s support plans and carried out pathway tracking. Pathway tracking is where we look at a person’s care plan and check that this is being followed and their needs met. We did this by speaking with the person, the staff that cared for them and by looking at other records relating to the management of the home. We also looked at staff training and supervision records, three recruitment records, health appointments, risk assessments, behaviour management records, accident and incident records, visitor’s comments, complaints records and maintenance records. We looked at all Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards applications (DoLS) to ensure people’s rights were protected. These safeguards protect the rights of people by ensuring if there are any restrictions to their freedom and liberty these have been authorised by the local authority as being required to protect the person from harm.

We last inspected Green Acres on the 25 April 2013 when there were no concerns identified.

Updated 8 May 2015

This inspection took place on the16 and 19 December 2014 and was unannounced.

The home 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 homes registered manager was the person responsible for maintain contact with the people placing authority care mangers and ensuring their contracted care was provided. Care managers are the placing authority’s representatives who are responsible for assessing the needs, reassessing and managing any care package and ensuring the continuing wellbeing of the people they place.

Green Acres provides accommodation and support for up to six people with learning disabilities. Some people may also have multiple and complex needs. For example both a learning disability and a physical disability or limited speech or autistic.

The provider had systems in place to make sure people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. People appeared to be comfortable with each other and approached staff readily.

Assessments were undertaken to identify people’s health and support needs and any risks to people. Plans were in place to reduce the risks identified in assessments.

People were supported by enough suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff. Robust recruitment and selection procedures were in place and appropriate checks had been undertaken before staff began work.

People were provided with a choice of healthy food and drink to make sure their nutritional needs were met. At mealtimes people ate well and were content with their choices.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) which applies to care homes. These safeguards protect the rights of people by ensuring if there are any restrictions to their freedom and liberty these have been authorised by the local authority as being required to protect the person from harm. We found the home to be meeting the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards

People were supported in a way that promoted their dignity by being spoken to kindly and were given choices. Staff were caring in their approach to people, giving them attention and not rushing them with support. Staff appeared to know people well and clearly understood their individual needs and preferences.

People who lived at the home said hello or greeted us with a wave or a thumbs up. We saw people smiling and happy during an activity and one person told us they were enjoying their activities and told us about some they had enjoyed.

Care plans were developed with people to identify how they wished to be supported and goals they wanted to achieve.

Observations of interactions between the Manager and staff showed they were inclusive and positive and promoted a transparent culture where the people came first. Staff told us they liked working at Green Acres and felt supported in their work and to access training. Staff told us they felt comfortable raising concerns with them or to suggest ideas for improvement and found them to be responsive in dealing with any concerns raised.

There was a complaints process available. Relatives and care professional we spoke with all said they never had any formal complaints but they would not hesitate to speak with the provider if they felt the need to complain. Health professionals we spoke to told us that the manager and staff communicated well with them and would take prompt action where needed so they never had the need to make a complaint.

The provider analysed and acted no information acquired from quality assurance questioners.