This inspection took place on 6 November 2014 and was unannounced. At our last inspection on 5 August 2013 we found the provider was meeting all of the standards we inspected against.
Walsingham – 21 Budge Lane is a purpose-built one-storey care home providing personal care and accommodation for up to 6 adults with learning and physical disabilities. At the time of our visit there were five people using the service.
The service had 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.
Relatives of people who used the service spoke positively about the service and the care of their relatives.
The provider had taken appropriate measures to protect people from abuse and discrimination and staff were aware of how to recognise and report these. Family members we spoke with felt their relatives were safe at the home.
There were risk assessments and management plans in place to protect people from risks associated with the physical environment and also risks specific to them, such as those relating to medical conditions. Staff were aware of these and knew how to use the information to keep people safe. They were trained in administering medicines safely, and followed procedures designed to keep people safe from the risks of inappropriately stored or administered medicines.
There were enough staff to keep people safe. New staff were checked to help ensure they were suitable.
Staff received training, supervision and support from meetings and visiting healthcare professionals. This helped equip them with the knowledge and skills they needed to perform their roles effectively. People had access to healthcare services when needed.
Staff sought people’s consent before carrying out care tasks, even if people were not able to give consent verbally. Appropriate procedures were followed under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) to ensure decisions were made in people’s best interests when they did not have capacity to make them for themselves.
People were offered a variety of nutritious food, which they were able to choose themselves. Staff followed guidelines about people’s specific needs in relation to eating and drinking.
Relatives said staff were caring. People received care and support from staff who spoke to them with empathy and respect and in ways appropriate to their level of understanding. They responded to people’s distress promptly and in a caring way. People’s care was planned to include information on how to support their individual communication needs and enable them to express their views about their care. Staff made sure people’s privacy and dignity were respected.
People’s needs were assessed and the assessments were used to form care plans. These were updated when people’s circumstances or preferences changed so that staff had up to date information about the support people needed. People were given support to practise their religion where applicable. They were supported to be active members of their local community and engage in activities suitable for them both at home and outside.
Relatives fed back that staff were responsive to any concerns they had. There was an accessible complaints policy, which the service followed when complaints were made, and made sure complaints were resolved to people’s satisfaction.
The provider gave people opportunities to contribute to decisions about how the service was run. They held a conference that people who used services were invited to attend and discuss equality and diversity, staff recruitment and plans for developing services. Staff and relatives felt the home had a welcoming culture that embraced diversity and valued people.
The provider carried out regular checks to make sure the service was meeting standards set by the provider and based on care legislation. They used action plans to address any changes that the service needed to make were completed.