Background to this inspection
Updated
15 July 2016
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check 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.
The inspection was carried out by one inspector. Before the inspection we looked at information we held about the service. This information included notifications sent to the Care Quality Commission [CQC] and all other contact that we had with the home since the previous inspection. We also looked at the Provider Information Return [PIR] which the registered manager had completed before the inspection. The PIR 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. The PIR was discussed with the registered manager during the inspection.
During the inspection we spoke with five people using the service, the registered manager, deputy manager, and two care workers. Some people using the service were not able to tell us in detail about their experience of living in the home, so to gain further understanding of people’s experience of the service we spent time observing how they were supported by staff.
Following the inspection we spoke with five relatives of people using the service, and an Applied Behaviour Analyst who was employed by the provider.
We also reviewed a variety of records which related to people’s individual care and the running of the home. These records included; care files of three people living in the home, four staff records, audits, and policies and procedures that related to the management of the service.
Updated
15 July 2016
This unannounced inspection of Hoffman Foundation for Autism – 69 Castleton Avenue took place on the 14th June 2016. At our last inspection on 17 July 2014 the service met the regulations inspected.
Hoffman Foundation for Autism – 69 Castleton Avenue is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for five people. The home provides care and support for people who have a learning disability, some of whom have mental health needs. On the day of our visit there were five people living in the home. Public transport and a range of shops are located within walking distance.
The service has a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission [CQC] 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.
People were treated with respect and staff engaged with people in a friendly and courteous manner. Throughout our visit we observed caring and supportive relationships between staff and people using the service. People told us staff were kind to them. Staff respected people’s privacy and dignity.
There were procedures for safeguarding people. Staff knew how to safeguard the people they supported and cared for. Arrangements were in place to make sure sufficient numbers of skilled staff were deployed at all times. People’s individual needs and risks were identified and managed as part of their plan of care and support to minimise the likelihood of harm.
Care plans reflected people’s current needs. They contained the information staff needed to provide people with the care and support they wanted and required. People were supported to choose and take part in a range of activities of their choice. People chose what they wanted to eat and people were involved in the preparation of their own meals.
People were encouraged and supported to make decisions for themselves whenever possible and their independence was upheld and promoted. People were provided with the support they needed to maintain links with their family and friends.
People were supported to maintain good health. They had access to appropriate healthcare services that monitored their health and provided people with appropriate support, treatment and specialist advice when needed. Systems were in place to make sure people received their medicines safely.
Staff were appropriately recruited and supported to provide people with individualised care and support. Staff received a range of training to enable them to be skilled and competent to carry out their roles and responsibilities. Staff told us they enjoyed working in the home and received the support and training they needed to carry out their roles and responsibilities.
Staff understood the legal requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). They knew about the systems in place for making decisions in people’s best interest when they were unable to make one or more decisions about their care and/or other aspects of their lives.
People had opportunities to feedback about the service. There were systems in place to regularly assess, monitor and improve the quality of the services provided for people.