Wellesley

Updated 10 April 2019

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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team:

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type:

Wellesley is a care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The registered provider was also the registered manager. They were registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means they are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection:

The first day of the inspection was announced 48 hours in advance. This was to give the provider the opportunity to tell people using the service about the visit and what it meant. The second day of the inspection was unannounced.

What we did:

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection in May 2016. This included details about incidents the provider must notify us about. We assessed the information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

People using the service could tell us about their experience of living at Wellesley. However, we also used a number of different methods. This included undertaking observations of the interactions between the 12 people and staff.

During the inspection we met all of the people using the service and spoke with three. We interviewed three members of staff, the registered manager and business partner. We saw comments from people’s family and staff. We reviewed three people’s care and support records, two staff files, and sampled medicine records. We also looked at records relating to the management of the service such as meeting minutes, policies and audits. We sought feedback from professionals who work with the service.

Updated 10 April 2019

About the service: Wellesley is a care home providing care and support for up to 12 people with learning disabilities or who are on the autistic spectrum. At the time of our inspection there were 12 people living at the service. Their ages ranged from 46 to 72.

People’s experience of using this service:

• The care service has been developed 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.

• People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

• People received a service which fully promoted their wellbeing; they felt at home. Some people had been resident for most of their adult lives.

• Care and support was led by the registered manager, who was very visible at the service and led by example. People said they would go to (the registered manager) with any issue or concern, and this was witnessed throughout the visits. People’s privacy and dignity were supported. The culture of the service was one of respect.

• People were keen to talk about their achievements, such as work experience in the community and how they helped at their home. People were supported to enjoy a varied and interesting life, which promoted their confidence and independence.

• People and their family members felt the service was safe. Risk was understood and managed. Incidents had led to detailed investigation and lessons learned, with positive outcomes which protected people, with minimal restriction. People were protected from abuse and harm by a staff team who were skilled and experienced.

• People’s health and care needs were met and their care planned with them, their family or health care professionals, making decisions in people’s best interest where necessary.

• People knew staff well. Staff were quick to support people as needed. We saw banter and fun and there was a relaxed and happy atmosphere.

• Staffing needs were under regular review. There was an established staff team, supported by the registered manager and their business partner, who lived on the premises.

• The premises were kept in a safe, clean and fresh state and met the needs of people using the service.

• A health care professional praised the standard of support people received. Medicine management was safe and medicine use was kept under regular review.

• People received a nutritious diet in a relaxed and supportive atmosphere.

Rating at last inspection: Good (Report published May 2016)

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

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

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