The Care Quality Commission
  • Care Home
  • Care home

Archived: Linby Drive

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

14 Linby Drive, Strelley, Nottingham, NG8 6QH (0115) 976 4652

Provided and run by:
Autism East Midlands

All Inspections

16 July 2015

During a routine inspection

This inspection took place on 16 July 2015 and was unannounced. Linby Drive provides accommodation and personal care for up to eight people with autism and learning disabilities. On the day of our inspection seven people were using the service.

The service had a registered manager. 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.

Staff ensured people were safe living at the care home and understood their responsibilities to protect people from the risk of abuse. Action was taken following any incidents to try and reduce the risks of incidents happening again. People received their medicines as prescribed and they were safely stored.

People were supported by a sufficient number of staff and staffing levels were flexible to meet people’s needs. Effective recruitment procedures were operated to ensure staff were safe to work with vulnerable adults.

Staff were provided with a wide range of knowledge and skills to care for people effectively and staff felt supported by the registered manager. People received support from health care professionals when needed. People had access to sufficient quantities of food and drink and were able to choose the food they wanted.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) monitors the use of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). We found this legislation was being used correctly to protect people who were not able to make their own decisions about the care they received. We also found staff were aware of the principles within the MCA and how this might affect the care they provided to people.

Positive and caring relationships had been developed between people and staff and staff had developed individualised communication techniques. Staff ensured people’s views were taken into account when making decisions about their care. People were supported to make day to day choices. Staff treated people with dignity and respect and staff ensured their privacy was respected.

People were provided with care that was responsive to their changing needs and personal preferences. Staff encouraged people to be as independent as possible. There was a comprehensive and individually tailored programme of activities available. Staff took pride in the achievements people made. There was a clear complaints procedure in place and any complaints received had been appropriately responded to.

There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and these were well utilised and resulted in improvements being made. The registered manager led by example and staff felt able to speak with them about any concerns. There was an open and honest culture in the home.

3 April 2013

During a routine inspection

We spoke with one person who was using the service and two relatives of people using the service. One relative told us they felt that staff treated people well, 'The staff seem to be very caring, I am happy they are doing a good job.' The person using the service indicated that they felt staff were looking after them well.

Where people did not have the capacity to consent, the provider acted in accordance with legal requirements. We looked at three care plans of people using the service for evidence of compliance with the Mental Capacity Act (2005) (MCA). This is legislation that is designed to protect the rights of people who may lack the capacity to make particular decision. We saw that, where required, assessments of people's capacity to make a decision had been carried out.

We saw that staff were attentive to people's needs whilst within the communal areas of the home. The staff we spoke with displayed a good understanding of the care needs of different people.

The people we spoke with felt that the home was kept to an acceptable standard of cleanliness, 'Whenever I have been the home always seems clean.' A range of audits were being carried out by the manager to assure themselves of the quality of the service being provided.

23 November 2012

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out this inspection to check if the required improvements had been made. We found that the provider had not carried out all of the improvements they told us they would make.

We spoke with one person who was using the service who told us, 'I like it here and I like the staff. The staff are nice to me.' During our inspection we observed that staff were interacting respectfully with people and people appeared to be comfortable in their surroundings. We did not see any evidence that people had agreed to the content of their care plans.

We spoke with three relatives of people who were using the service. One person told us that the manager had informed them a test of their relative's capacity would be carried out. They also said they had been invited to participate in this process. The other two people we spoke with were not aware of any plans to carry out capacity assessments.

We spoke with one person who was using the service who told us, 'The staff look after me. I am going out to eat later.' We spoke with three relatives of people who were using the service who told us, 'The care provided to my relative is second to none, I think they deserve a medal.'

13 June 2012

During a routine inspection

We visited the location to carry out a planned review. The manager was not at the service when we carried out the inspection. Therefore a senior member of staff and a manager from another home owned by the provider assisted us with the inspection visit.

We haven't been able to speak with some people using the service because they were not able to communicate verbally with us in a meaningful way. We therefore gathered evidence of people's experiences of the service by reviewing records, observing the care people received and speaking with two people who were able, staff and two relatives.

Both people expressed that they were happy living at Linby Drive.

One person felt there was enough information available to help them make their own choices and decision and they said they could spend their time how they liked.

One relative said they were kept informed as much as possible about any decisions that were made and staff usually acted in their relative's best interest. Another relative said their relative knew what they wanted and they were able to make their own decision.

We saw that staff treated people with dignity and respect and they talked with them in an appropriate manner.

One person said they felt safe living at the care home. They also told us that if they were unhappy about anything they could tell the staff and they would listen.

Two relatives also said they felt their relative were safe living at the care home. One relative said, 'There are a good few staff that look out for their [relative]'.

One person told us they got their medicines when they needed them.

One relative said, 'I think the staff are well trained to do their job, they are polite and helpful and help my relative as needed.' Another relative said they had confidence in the staff in general.

Two relatives said they had recently completed a questionnaire to offer feedback about the service. They also said that annual reviews took place so their relative's needs and any issues of concern could be discussed.

However one relative expressed concern about staff's communication in respect of medication and both relative's expressed concern in respect of communication about their relative's health care needs. They both also felt they were not given enough opportunity to feedback their views and opinions and they said communication in respect of this needed to improve.