• Care Home
  • Care home

Walsingham Support - 19 Beech Avenue

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Walsingham, Smithfield, Egremont, Cumbria, CA22 2QA (01946) 824885

Provided and run by:
Walsingham Support

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about Walsingham Support - 19 Beech Avenue on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.

This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.

If you have concerns about Walsingham Support - 19 Beech Avenue, you can give feedback on this service.

19 August 2020

During an inspection looking at part of the service

19 Beech Avenue is a care home for up to six adults living with a learning disability and a physical disability. The home is a bungalow with single, ensuite bedrooms and suitable shared areas. There were five people in residence when we visited.

We found the following examples of good practice.

The registered manager had ensured only essential visitors came into the home. Relatives had chosen not to visit due to risk but had kept in contact through telephone calls, Skype and other electronic means. Suitable arrangements were in place to allow visiting to re-start when appropriate.

People had stayed in good health throughout the lockdown and were well cared for and comfortable when we inspected. People had been suitably shielded during this time and any health matters discussed with the primary medical teams. Community nurses had made essential visits to ensure people stayed well.

There had been no cases of Covid 19 in the service user or staff groups. Routine testing was in place. Service users and staff had daily checks on their temperature. One staff member was the 'champion' for infection control and had a wealth of knowledge about good practice. Staff told us they were very careful to maintain social distancing inside and outside the home. We were impressed with their commitment to, "Keeping our ladies as safe as possible".

Suitable attention was paid to the use of PPE and good hand hygiene routines were seen. Rigorous cleaning schedules, using appropriate chemicals, were in place. Laundering of personal clothing and household linens was done at the correct temperature and any contaminated linens cleaned separately.

Walsingham had a contingency plan for any potential outbreaks of Covid 19. The registered manager had a local plan for any possible outbreaks or emergencies. The staff team discussed how they would manage things like barrier nursing, isolation, admissions and readmissions from hospital. There had been no need to implement any of these plans but the registered manager was alert to any possible problems and had kept risk assessment and risk management up to date and was aware the threat of Covid 19 was still present.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

29 July 2019

During a routine inspection

About the service

Walsingham Support - 19 Beech Avenue [Beech Avenue] is a residential care home providing personal care to five people living with a learning disability and/or autism and a physical or sensory loss. There were five people living in the home at the time of the inspection. It is operated by Walsingham Support, a charitable organisation that provides care and support to people living in England with a learning disability or autism. The home is a bungalow situated in a residential estate on the outskirts of Egremont. It can accommodate up to five people who all have single, ensuite rooms and share other communal areas.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

The Secretary of State has asked the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to conduct a thematic review and to make recommendations about the use of restrictive interventions in settings that provide care for people with or who might have mental health problems, learning disabilities and/or autism. Thematic reviews look in-depth at specific issues concerning quality of care across the health and social care sectors. They expand our understanding of both good and poor practice and of the potential drivers of improvement.

As part of thematic review, we carried out a survey with a registered manager from another service at this inspection. This considered whether the service used any restrictive intervention practices (restraint, seclusion and segregation) when supporting people.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People living in the home did not use verbal means of communication so we used observation to judge how people were cared for. People were relaxed in their own home and responded positively to staff. Staff had received suitable training about protecting vulnerable adults. Accidents, incidents, complaints and concerns were responded to appropriately.

We noted there were some vacant hours on the roster and staff said they were working extra shifts until recruitment was complete. Recruitment was suitably managed. New members of staff had been suitably vetted and inducted into the philosophy of care and the individual needs of people in the home.

Staff were appropriately trained and developed to give the best support possible. We met team members who understood people's needs and who had suitable training and experience in their roles. Staff had extensive knowledge of different disorders people were living with and were skilled in working with people in the home. These included complex personal care skills and moving and handling strategies.

People saw their GP and health specialists. The district nursing team visited three times a week to undertake nursing tasks and give advice to staff. The staff team completed assessments of need with health professionals and with the learning disability teams. Medicines were suitably managed with people having reviews of their medicines on a regular basis. We saw some advice had been given to support sensory loss and staff were developing a plan to introduce this.

People were supported to get suitable levels of nourishment. People needed support to manage issues around swallowing and digestion of foods. The team worked closely with specialist nurses and consultants. We saw people getting the right levels of support. We observed staff preparing thickened liquids and pureed foods and helping people to eat and this was done appropriately.

We observed kind and patient support being provided. Staff supported people in a respectful way. Staff were very aware of the non-verbal communication needs of people. They made sure confidentiality, privacy and dignity were maintained when delivering personal care and when assessing and responding to need. People had the support of advocates if necessary.

Risk assessments and care plans were being updated and developed in the service. The plans reflected the person-centred care that was being delivered.

Staff could access specialists if people needed communication tools like Makaton or other sign languages. Staff worked with psychologists and psychiatrists when necessary. They were looking at ways to use objects to help people understand interventions. For example a person was given their swimming towel so they would know they were going to the pool.

Staff were very keen to help people get out into the community and were careful to look at how people responded to these outings. People went out for drives and for walks in their wheelchairs. They participated in their own and the house shopping. They also went to entertainments and activities, like swimming, social clubs and to a local tea dance. This dance was open to the public and was a way to help people meet others in the community.

The management of the service was going through some transition. The service had an acting manager who had been in the service for a little over a week. She was being mentored by an operations manager and another registered manager. All these managers were suitably skilled and experienced to manage the home. The acting manager had started to make relationships with people and the staff. Staff told us they were comfortable with these arrangements.

The provider had both internal and external ways to measure quality. Managers and staff monitored the quality of care delivery, staffing and the environment. The service also had quality inspections completed by senior officers of the organisation to ensure quality care and services continued to be provided. On the day of our visit there was an audit being completed. The operations manager visited regularly and looked at the quality of care delivery.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. The staff team were aware of their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on finding ways to help them have meaningful experiences, whilst always ensuring they had their physical health needs met.

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

Rating at last inspection Good

The last rating for this service was Good (published February 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

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

1 February 2017

During a routine inspection

This was an unannounced inspection that was carried out by an adult social care inspector on 1 February 2017.

19 Beech Avenue is registered to provide accommodation for up to eight people who have a learning disability.The accommodation is in a bungalow and a small house

linked by a covered walkway. People who live in the bungalow may also have a physical disability. The people who live in the house may display behaviours that challenge. The provider is in the process of closing the accommodation in the house and will reduce the numbers to five people accommodated in the bungalow. The service is operated by Walsingham who run a number of similar services in Cumbria and throughout the country.

When we last visited the service in August 2015 we rated the services as 'Requires improvement'. We judged that the service was in breach of two legal requirements.

The provider was in breach of Regulation 18 HSCA 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014: Staffing because we judged staffing levels did not meet people's needs. We also judged that the environmental standards of the property needed to be improved. The house needed to be redecorated and furniture replaced. Some furniture and fittings in the bungalow also needed to be replaced. This was a breach of Regulation 15 HSCA 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 Premises and equipment.

We received a suitably detailed action plan from the provider and we had on-going updates from the registered manager and the operations manager. Staffing levels had been improved straight away and good staffing ratios had continued. People had their care needs met by the staffing levels. We had evidence to show that Regulation 18 had been met.

Walsingham had taken a decision, along with local authority and health professionals, to no longer use the house. Only one person remained in the house and there were plans to close this within the next three months. We had received an action plan and we saw that, where possible, redecoration and replacement of furniture had happened in the house. The provider was now compliant with Regulation 15.

The home had a suitably qualified and experienced 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The staff team understood how to protect vulnerable adults from harm and abuse. Staff had received suitable training and there had been no safeguarding issues reported in the service. Good risk assessments and risk management plans were in place to support people. Suitable arrangements were in place to ensure that new members of staff had been suitably vetted and were the right kind of people to work with vulnerable adults. There had been no accidents or incidents of note in the service.

The home had increased the staffing levels with a new waking night support worker in place. The registered provider had agreed that this was necessary due to the changing dependency levels of people in the bungalow. Staff were suitably inducted, trained and developed to give the best support possible.

Medicines were appropriately managed in the service with people having reviews of their medicines on a regular basis. People in the home saw their GP and health specialists whenever necessary.

The registered manager was aware of her responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 when people were deprived of their liberty for their own safety. This had been done appropriately and consent was always considered for any interaction, where possible.

We saw that the staff team made sure people had proper nutrition and hydration. Staff supported people to eat as healthily as possible.

The bungalow was suitably adapted to meet people's needs and had recent improvements to floor coverings and décor. Minor improvements had been made to the house. Infection control was suitably managed and the home was clean and comfortable when we visited.

We observed kind, patient and suitable care being provided. Staff ensured that people had privacy and their dignity was maintained during any personal care delivery.

Assessments and care plans were up to date and met the meets of people in the service. Staff were very centred on the needs of individuals.

The people in the home were supported to go out into the community and there were activities in the home. We judged that these arrangements met people's needs

The service had a suitable complaints policy in place but no formal complaints had been received.

The service had a suitable quality monitoring system in place and action was taken if improvements were needed.

6th August 2015

During a routine inspection

This was an unannounced inspection that was carried out by an adult social care inspector on 6th August 2015.

19 Beech Avenue provides accommodation for up to eight people who have a learning disability. The accommodation is in a bungalow and a small house linked by a covered walkway. People who live in the bungalow may also have a physical disability. The people who live in the house may display behaviours that challenge.

The service is operated by Walsingham who run a number of similar services in Cumbria and throughout the country.

The service has a registered manager who was on extended, planned leave at the time of this visit. 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.

We judged that there were not enough staff to support people with complex needs. The provider was in breach of Regulation 18 HSCA 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 Staffing. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.

The environmental stands of the property need to be improved. The house needed to be redecorated and furniture replaced. Some furniture and fittings in the service also needed to be replaced.

This is a breach of Regulation 15 HSCA 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 Premises and equipment. You can see what action we have told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.

Staff were aware of their responsibilities in keeping vulnerable people from harm and abuse. Safeguarding referrals were made appropriately.

Risk management was in place when any potential risk was identified. Accidents and incidents were managed correctly.

The bungalow was suitably adapted for people with complex moving and handling needs.

Recruitment was done appropriately with all checks in place to make sure vulnerable people were protected. The service had suitable arrangements in place to deal with disciplinary issues.

Medicines were ordered, administered, stored and disposed of correctly.

Good infection control measures were in place.

Staff were suitably skilled and had a good understanding of people’s needs. This was because staff had received suitable training and were being given supervision and support. This included training on managing behaviours that challenge. Staff were trained in restraint but had not needed to use this.

We spoke to staff and saw evidence to show that they understood the issues around capacity and consent. A multi-disciplinary approach was taken to decision making and every person in the home had been judged as having restrictions on their liberty. The registered manager had applied for Deprivation of Liberty orders under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, and appropriate meetings had taken place to ensure people's rights had been protected.

Staff had a good understanding of how to support people with complex nutritional needs and food preparation was done well to ensure people were offered a healthy diet.

People in the home saw their GP and the community nurses. Specialist health care providers were also involved in the care of people in the home.

We observed staff treating people in the home with dignity and respect. People were given private time and the staff were good at interpreting their needs. Everyone had access to an advocate.

Suitable arrangements were in place for end of life care when that time came.

We looked at care files and we saw detailed care plans were in place to support frail and vulnerable people. These included behavioural plans and very detailed plans for personal and health care support.

People were taken out on the home’s transport on a regular basis. Activities were in place that met the complex needs of people in the service.

There was a suitable complaints procedure in place and there had been no complaints received about the home.

We had evidence to show that the staff team had supported someone who had moved to more independent living. This had been done well and the team had worked with external colleagues.

Suitable management arrangements were in place during the planned absence of the registered manager. The organisation was supporting the temporary manager and the senior team.

Staff displayed the values that Walsingham judged to be of importance to people with learning disabilities.

Quality checks were in place and the operations manager was aware of the issues in the home around staffing and the environment.

14 August 2013

During a routine inspection

People who lived in the service were given suitable levels of care. They were helped with all aspects of personal care and they were supported to access health care. Each person saw the specialist consultant for learning disability, social workers and specialist nurses for learning disability.

People received suitable and nutritious food and were helped and supported to eat as well as possible.

Staff understood their responsibilities under safeguarding. We spent time with people and checked on notes and did not see anything of concern but we did speak to Cumbria County Council about some issues related to personal finances.

We judged that the house and the bungalow were generally suitable environments for the people who lived there.

We looked at equipment in the home and this met the needs of all the individuals.

The home had suitable staffing levels.

12 January 2013

During a routine inspection

People in this service were treated with dignity, respect and sensitivity and were consulted and involved as much as possible.

They received good standards of care to meet their complex physical, emotional and psychological needs. Care planning was detailed and up to date and guided staff in how to deliver personal care and help people with behavioural issues.

Medicines were managed appropriately and the use of sedative medicines was monitored carefully.

Staff were trained and supported correctly so that the teams could understand and work with the complex needs of people with learning disability.

Walsingham ensured that they monitored the quality of care and services in the home. The manager had systems in place to monitor all aspects of the service.

Records were kept confidentially and securely. Both paper and electronic records were kept and these evidenced that the home ran effectively and for the benefit of people in the home.