We carried out a review of the data available to us about Walsingham Support - 49 Essex Park 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 - 49 Essex Park, you can give feedback on this service.
About the service
Walsingham Support - 49 Essex Park is a six-bedded care home for people with learning disabilities. On the day of our visit there were five people living in the home.
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. 'Right support, right care, right culture' is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.
People's experience of using this service and what we found
Right Support:
Staff supported people to access health and social care support in the community. They supported people being involved in maintaining their own health and wellbeing where possible. Staff communicated with people in ways that met their needs. The service gave people care and support in a safe environment. 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.
Right Care:
People's needs were appropriately assessed before they moved to the service. The service worked together with healthcare professionals and relatives to ensure people's needs could be met. People were supported with nutrition and hydration. Care was person-centred and promoted people's dignity, privacy and human rights. Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse. Staff were appropriately trained on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to report safeguarding concerns. Relatives told us their love ones were safe living at the service. Care records contained risk assessments with clear guidance for staff to follow. Medicines were managed safely. Staff were recruited safely. The premises were clean and well maintained.
Right Culture:
The registered manager promoted a person-centred environment and people experienced good outcomes. Relatives spoke positively about the management team and staff. People received good quality care, and support because trained staff could meet their needs and wishes.
Staff understood people’s needs in relation to their strengths, impairments or sensitivities people with a learning disability and/or autistic people may have. This enabled people to receive compassionate and empowering care that was tailored to their needs. Staff knew and understood people well and were responsive, supporting their aspirations to live a quality life of their choosing.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
More information is in the full report.
Rating at last inspection
At the last inspection we rated this service as good. The report was published on 10 January 2020.
Why we inspected
We carried out a focused inspection of this service on 20 November 2022, this inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions Safe, Effective and Well Led.
We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information, we may inspect sooner.
Walsingham Support - 49 Essex Park is a six-bedded care home for people with learning disabilities. On the day of our visit there were five people living in the home.
People’s experience of using this service
People told us people they were happy with the care and support they received because they felt safe and all their needs were met by kind and caring staff.
People praised the manager of the service and agreed that they were approachable, knowledgeable, fair and did their job well. The staff team worked well together and supported the manager.
The staff team was committed to providing a high-quality service and keeping people safe. They had undertaken training so that they were skilled and knowledgeable to effectively meet people’s needs. Staff understood their responsibilities to report any concerns.
Staff encouraged people to be as independent as possible and respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff knew people well. Staff managed the risks to people’s health and welfare.
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.' Registering the Right Support CQC policy.
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. When people did not have the capacity to make their own decisions, staff maximised their involvement and made decisions in their best interests, in accordance with legislation.
People were given choices about the way in which they were cared for. Staff listened to them and knew their needs well. Care plans contained information about each person’s individual support needs and preferences in relation to their care and we found evidence of good outcomes for people.
Recruitment practices were safe and relevant checks had been completed before staff worked at the service,
People told us staff were able to meet their needs and were respectful of their individual preferences. Relatives told us staff who supported their family members were kind and caring.
People received care and support from a small group of staff, which provided consistency.
The managers of the service actively sought the views of people and their relatives about the running of the service and they dealt promptly with any concerns that people raised.
The provider had systems in place to monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service provided.
More information is in the full report.
Rating at last inspection.
At the last inspection we rated this service Good. The report was published on 15 June 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.
Walsingham Support - 49 Essex Park is a six bed care home for people with learning disabilities. On the day of our visit there were six people living in the home.
People experienced good care and support. They were supported to live safe, fulfilled and meaningful lives in the way they wanted to.
People were supported with healthy eating and to maintain a healthy weight, with specialist diets when required. People who needed assistance with meal preparation were supported and encouraged to make choices about what they ate and drank. The support staff demonstrated an excellent knowledge of people’s care needs, significant people and events in their lives, and their daily routines and preferences. They also understood the provider’s safeguarding procedures and could explain how they would protect people if they had any concerns
Staff told us they really enjoyed working in the home and spoke positively about the culture and management of the service. Staff told us that they were encouraged to openly discuss any issues. They said they enjoyed their jobs and described management as supportive.
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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
The service was safe and there were appropriate safeguards in place to help protect the people who lived there. People were able to make choices about the way in which they were cared for. Staff listened to them and knew their needs well. Staff had the training and support they needed.
Staffing levels were sufficient to meet people’s needs. Recruitment practices were safe and relevant checks had been completed before staff worked at the home. People’s medicines were managed appropriately so they received them safely.
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) provides a legal framework for making particular decisions on behalf of people who may lack the mental capacity to do so for themselves. The Act requires that as far as possible people make their own decisions and are helped to do so when needed. When they lack mental capacity to take particular decisions, any made on their behalf must be in their best interests and as least restrictive as possible. The service was meeting the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). Appropriate mental capacity assessments and best interest decisions had been undertaken by relevant professionals. This ensured that decisions were taken in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005, DoLS and associated Codes of Practice.
People participated in a range of different social activities and were supported to access the local community. They also participated in shopping for the home and their own needs. The registered manager and staff ensured everyone was supported to maintain good health. Staff took a very proactive approach to ensuring people's complex health needs were always met, and consistently ensured that when people needed specialist input from health care professionals they got it.
Staff were caring and always ensured they treated people with dignity and respect. They had a good understanding of the care and support needs of every person living in the home . People had developed very positive relationships with staff and there was a friendly and relaxed atmosphere in the home.
Staff were well supported with training, supervision and appraisal which helped them to ensure they provided very effective care for people.
People and those important to them, such as their relatives or professionals were asked for feedback about the quality of the service.
The registered manager and staff knew what they should do if anyone made a complaint.
Person centred care was fundamental to the service and staff made sure people were at the centre of their practice. Care plans focused on the whole person, and assessments and plans were regularly updated.
People's individual preferences, needs and choices were always taken into account by the caring and compassionate staff.
The service was well led. There was a clear set of values in place which all of the staff put into practice. The registered manager and the providers’ quality team regularly completed robust quality assurance checks, to make sure the high standards of care were maintained. There was an open culture and staff said they felt well motivated and valued.
The home had recently been refurbished to a high standard; people who lived in the home had been supported to participate in choosing colours and home furnishings.
We inspected Walsingham Support - 49 Essex Park on 3 November 2015. This was an unannounced inspection. Walsingham Support - 49 Essex Park is a six bed care home for people with learning disabilities. On the day of our visit there were six people living in the home.
People told us they were very happy with the care and support they received.
People who needed assistance with meal preparation were supported and encouraged to make choices about what they ate and drank. The care staff we spoke with demonstrated a good knowledge of people’s care needs, significant people and events in their lives, and their daily routines and preferences. They also understood the provider’s safeguarding procedures and could explain how they would protect people if they had any concerns.
Staff told us they enjoyed working in the home and spoke positively about the culture and management of the service. Staff told us that they were encouraged to openly discuss any issues. Staff said they enjoyed their jobs and described management as supportive. Staff confirmed they were able to raise issues and make suggestions about the way the service was provided.
The registered manager had been in post since April 2014. 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 service was safe and there were appropriate safeguards in place to help protect the people who lived there. People were able to make choices about the way in which they were cared for. Staff listened to them and knew their needs well. Staff had the training and support they needed. There was evidence that staff and managers at the home had been involved in reviewing and monitoring the quality of the service to make sure it improved.
Staffing levels were sufficient to meet people’s needs. Recruitment practices were safe and relevant checks had been completed before staff worked at the home. People’s medicines were managed appropriately so they received them safely.
The service was meeting the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards
(DoLS). Appropriate mental capacity assessments and best interest decisions had been undertaken by relevant professionals. This ensured that the decision was taken in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005, DoLS and associated Codes of Practice.
People participated in a range of different social activities individually and as a group and were supported to access the local community. They also participated in shopping for the home and their own needs, and some people had recently been on holiday together with staff support.
The registered manager provided good leadership and people using the service, relatives and staff told us the manager promoted high standards of care.
Is the service safe?
Is the service effective?
Is the service caring?
Is the service responsive?
Is the service well-led?
Below is a summary of what we found. The summary is based on our observations during the inspection, speaking with people using the service, the staff supporting them and from looking at records.
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If you want to see the evidence supporting our summary please read the full report.
Is the service safe?
People are treated with respect and dignity by the staff. People told us they felt safe. Safeguarding procedures were in place and staff understood how to safeguard the people they supported. Training records showed that most staff had completed safeguarding adults training within the last six months. There were effective recruitment and selection processes in place. This ensured that the staff were of good character and were competent enough to meet the care and welfare needs of people.
Is the service effective?
People's health and care needs were assessed. Specialist dietary, mobility and equipment needs had been identified in care plans where required. People said that they had been involved in the care planning process and that they were happy with the care that was provided.
Is the service caring?
People were supported by kind and attentive staff. We saw that care workers showed patience and gave encouragement when supporting people. One person told us, "staff are so kind.'' People using the service, their relatives, friends and other professionals involved with the service completed an annual satisfaction survey. Where shortfalls or concerns were raised these were addressed. People's preferences, interests, aspirations and diverse needs had been recorded and care and support had been provided in accordance with people's wishes.
Is the service responsive?
People completed a range of activities in and outside the service regularly. People knew how to make a complaint if they were unhappy. The provider had a complaints procedure that was accessible to people who use the service. There had been no complaints since our last inspection.
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Is the service well-led?
The service worked well with other agencies and services to make sure people received their care in a joined up way.
The new manager had only been in post for 2 weeks on the day of our inspection. Staff told us that the manager was "much better'' and 'she listens and provides advice.' Staff were clear about their roles and responsibilities, and had a good understanding of the ethos of the home and quality assurance processes were in place. This helped to ensure that people received a good quality service at all times.
When we inspected again on 21st May 2013, we saw that people's support plans had recently been reviewed and updated. Person centred risk assessments had been undertaken for tasks like cooking and making tea.
We also saw that care records were kept securely and could be readily located.
The manager had been in post for approximately five months. They told us they felt supported in their role and that they had had undergone a structured induction programme. This included a 'buddy' system offering peer support in areas like IT systems and conducting audits.
We observed that staff treated people using the service with respect and dignity. People were appropriately dressed and seemed well cared for. People were encouraged to make choices regarding their food and drinks.
However we were concerned that the systems to assess, monitor and improve the quality of the service were being used irregularly and were ineffective.