Henshaws Specialist College

Updated 3 March 2020

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection team consisted of two inspectors, an assistant inspector and two Experts by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Henshaws Specialist College is a residential further education college. It is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with CQC. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We looked round the residential accommodation and observed care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us. We spoke with five young people and staff including team leaders, care workers, the positive behaviour support leader, curriculum lead and maintenance staff. Managers we spoke with included the principal and vice principal, registered manager, clinical lead and head of therapy, educational and sensory support (TESS) team.

We reviewed a range of records. This included care and medication records for five young people. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision, and reviewed records relating to the management of the service. The Experts by Experience telephoned and spoke with six relatives about their experience of the care provided.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training records. We spoke with the nominated individual by telephone. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.

Updated 3 March 2020

About the service

Henshaws Specialist College is a residential further education college specialising in support for young people. Most of the young people attending college are between 16 and 25 years of age and have a physical or learning disability or autism. Our inspection looked at the residential accommodation, healthcare provision and care and support for young people outside their educational curriculum.

At the time of this inspection, there were 34 young people accommodated in four residential houses. Another 14 young people were receiving registered healthcare provision as day students.

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.

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

Young people received highly personalised care. We found young people took part in a range of fun activities and experiences, which helped to build confidence, increase self-esteem and gave young people a sense of achievement. Feedback was entirely positive with comments from relatives including, “Overall, I just think they are doing a fabulous job” and “The aim of the course is to make [Name] as independent as possible, they (and we) want them to graduate as independent as they can be into society.”

Careful pre-admission assessments and planning made sure young people’s care needs including healthcare and behaviour needs were fully considered. Staff received relevant training and could meet these needs effectively. The hospital learning disability liaison nurse was also made aware of new admissions, so in the case of hospital treatment they could help organise their care. This had led young people to having more positive experiences when medical treatment was required.

Thorough risk management processes focused on people’s abilities and how staff could support them to try new things safely. This had led young people with very complex needs to achieve goals for the first time, including sailing, kayaking and rock climbing. In their written feedback about a recent trip, one young person had said, “I loved it. I like the zip wire the best.” Other young people had begun new enterprises and were looking at their future plans on graduation.

Staffing was organised around people’s assessed care needs and staff were recruited safely. Feedback about staff was positive. People said staff were caring and compassionate. One young person said, “Staff are lovely, they care for me.” Relatives told us, and we observed, people were treated with dignity and respect, and staff promoted young people’s independence.

The service was well-managed and organised. Effective management systems were in place for managers to assess and monitor the quality of care provided to young people and drive continuous improvement. Managers and staff were highly motivated to develop the service and provide young people with the best care possible.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensured young people who used the service lived as full a life as possible and achieved the best possible outcomes that included control, choice and independence.

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.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 16 January 2019). Since this rating was awarded, the provider has registered to provide nursing care. At the time of the inspection, a total of 20 young people were receiving nursing interventions as either residential or day students. This is the first inspection of the healthcare provision provided at Henshaws Specialist College.

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.