We carried out a review of the data available to us about Voyage 1 Limited - 694 Pinner Road 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 Voyage 1 Limited - 694 Pinner Road, you can give feedback on this service.
About the service
Voyage 694 Pinner Road is registered to provide personal care and accommodation for eight people with a learning disability and autistic people. During the day of our inspection the service provided care and support to seven people.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People’s medicines were managed safely. However, we made a recommendation for the provider to seek further guidance around updating people’s medicines care plans and systems when receiving and acting on medicine alerts. Although there was no evidence of poor management of medicines, these improvements would overall provide greater protection to people who received help with taking their medicines. Following the inspection, we received evidence the provider was acting to ensure sound medicines management was practised so that relevant policies and procedures were followed.
People were protected from the risk of harm and abuse. There were effective systems and processes in place to minimise risks to people. Risks had been identified, assessed and reviewed. Care workers knew how to identify and report concerns. They had been recruited safely and showed good knowledge and skills in relevant areas including medicines administration and infection control. They demonstrated dignity, respect and compassion in interactions with people.
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.
The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.
Right Support
People were supported to develop skills in order to do things as independently as possible. There was a structure to support a values-led culture. Notably, there was a strong emphasis on inclusion and creating opportunities for people to participate in ordinary activities and improving their personal dignity.
Right Care
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. The service used positive behaviour support approach, which was opposed to restrictive practices.
Right culture
Pinner Road has an open culture enabling people to make informed and safe choices about their lives. Care staff engaged and respected people’s decisions. Relatives spoke positively about Pinner Road and told us that they liked it to be a small home which had a family like atmosphere.
The provider had a range of quality assurance processes, including systems necessary to maintain safe environments. The registered manager and the deputy manager ensured policies and procedures met current legislation and were up to date. Relatives told us they were asked of their views about the quality of the service.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and update –
The last rating for this service was good (report published 3 March 2020)
Why we inspected
We undertook this inspection to assess that the service is applying the principles of Right support right care right culture. The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received around unsafe treatment of people, poor management of medicines and people’s needs around eating and drinking not being met. A decision was made for us to undertake a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe, effective, responsive and well-led only.
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.
694 Pinner Road is a small residential care home which is registered to accommodate and provide personal care to eight people with learning disabilities and autism. During the day of our inspection the home did not have any vacancies. People living at 694 Pinner Road have complex needs and most of the people are limited to no verbal communication skills.
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
Everyone we spoke with was positive about the service. There was a relaxed and homely atmosphere. Staff had developed caring and trusting relationships with people. The service demonstrated positive outcomes for people which reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support. This included; supporting and looking into ways for people to make their own decisions and choices to maintain and improve their independence and control of their lives. Improving people's life experiences and accessing the right support at the right time to maintain positive outcomes for people's health conditions. This had a positive impact on people's wellbeing, behaviour and mental health. People were offered opportunities to gain new independent skills and other interests.
Care plans contained detailed and relevant information about how to proactively meet people's needs. Staff were immediately informed of changes in people's needs so that care was tailored and specific to everyone.
People enjoyed a range of activities and followed their hobbies and interests. Staff took time to understand things that were important to people such as, supporting them to build and maintain friendships and family relations.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; policies and systems supported this practice. People were provided with information they needed and were encouraged to be involved in all aspects of their care. Staff always asked for people's consent before staff delivered care and support for them.
Systems were in place to safeguard people from abuse or harm, which included safe recruitment processes. Detailed risk assessments were in place and overall medicines were managed safely. Accidents and incidents were recorded appropriately.
Staff received regular training to enable them to deliver person centred care. This included additional training specific to people's health needs and some was sourced from external health professionals.
People were encouraged to eat a balanced and nutritious diet, whilst respecting their own food choices. Staff supported people with their eating and drinking by creating an inclusive environment.
People, their relatives and staff spoke positively about the management team. They were confident about raising concerns and that they would be addressed immediately. Staff felt supported and valued by them.
Checks were in place to maintain safety and drive improvements at the service. The management team had a proactive approach and were keen to make changes that would impact positively on people's lives.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Rating at last inspection (and update)
- The last rating for this service was Good (published 7 September 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.
At the last inspection on 17 April 2015, the service was rated Good.
At this inspection we found the service remained Good.
Staff spoken with demonstrated good understanding of how they would recognise abuse and how to report allegations of abuse. Robust risk management plans ensured a consistent approach by all staff involved in people’s care.
Staff followed and understood people’s needs around the management of medicines. People were encouraged to gain greater independence around the administration of their medicines.
The provider followed safer recruitment practices which ensured staff were appropriately vetted. Sufficient staff were deployed to ensure people’s needs were met.
Staff had access to wide range of mandatory and role specific training to ensure they understood people’s care and support needs. Staff received support in form of regular appraisals and supervisions to ensure they understood people’s needs and were able to carry out their duties.
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 took part in the planning and preparation of their meals.
Staff showed interest in people’s lives and spoke kindly about people and how they cared for them. Staff provided us with various practice examples of how they ensured peoples dignity and privacy was maintained.
Care records were person centred and were formulated with people’s choices and interests in mind. People or significant others were involved in the care planning processes. People had access to a wide range of in-house and community based activities and were encouraged to try out new activities to widen their interests.
People were clear how to raise concerns. The service had received one complaint since our last inspection and we saw that this complaint had been dealt with appropriately by the registered manager.
The management at Pinner Road was visible and involved in ‘hands on’ care. Staff told us that the registered manager was very experienced, easy to approach and was always open to suggestions in how to improve the quality of care provided. Quality of care was reviewed and monitored frequently to ensure that the quality of care was not compromised and changes could be made to improve the service if required.
Further information is in the detailed findings below.
We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection of this service on 17 April 2015. A breach of Regulation 12 HSCA 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 Safe care and treatment was found. We found that controlled drugs were not stored in accordance with the Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) Regulations 1973. After the comprehensive inspection, the provider wrote to us on 1 June 2015 to say what they would do to meet legal requirements in relation to the breaches.
We undertook this focused inspection on 12 June 2015 to check the provider had followed their plan and to confirm that they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to those requirements. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for 694 Pinner Road on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
The service provides care and support for up to eight people with learning disabilities. There were six people using the service when we visited.
During our focused inspection on 12 June 2015 we found that the provider had taken the necessary steps to ensure that controlled drugs were stored safely.
We conducted an unannounced inspection of 694 Pinner Road on 17 April 2015. The service provides care and support for up to eight people with learning disabilities. There were six people using the service when we visited.
At our last inspection on 14 November 2014, the service met the regulations inspected.
The service had 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
Safeguarding adults from abuse procedures were robust and staff understood how to safeguard the people they supported. The manager and staff had received training on safeguarding adults and were able to explain the possible signs of abuse as well as the correct procedure to follow if they had concerns.
Safe practices for administering medicines were followed. However, we found that controlled drugs were not stored in accordance with the Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) Regulations 1973. Records were kept when medicine was administered and a second member of staff countersigned these.
Staff were trained in the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). Staff demonstrated a good understanding of their responsibilities.
People and their relatives were involved in decisions about their care and how their needs were met. People had care plans in place that reflected their assessed needs.
Recruitment procedures ensured that only people who were suitable worked within the service. There was an induction programme for new staff, which prepared them to do their role. Staff were provided with a range of training to help them carry out their duties. Staff received regular supervision and appraisal to support them to meet people’s needs. There were enough staff employed in the service to meet people’s needs.
People were supported to eat and drink and their nutritional needs were monitored. People were supported effectively with their health needs and had access to a range of healthcare professionals such as GP, psychiatrist and dentist. People were involved in making decisions about what kind of support they wanted.
Staff and people who used the service felt able to speak with the manager and provided feedback on the service. They knew how to make complaints and there was an effective complaints policy and procedure in place. We found complaints were dealt with appropriately and in accordance with the policy.
The service carried out regular audits to monitor the quality of the service and to plan improvements. Where concerns were identified action plans were put in place to rectify these.
We found one breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.
We followed the care of two people, this included looking at their care records, observing care and speaking with their relatives. This gave us an understanding of people's needs and their experience of the care provided.
We also spoke with two members of staff and the registered manager. People were offered choices and their decisions were respected by staff. We saw that care was person centred and delivered in a manner that ensured people's dignity and respect.
People experienced care and support that met their needs and protected their rights. We viewed the compliments book and comments included, "I would live in this home" and "what a lovely and engaging team."
People were cared for by staff who were supported to deliver care to an appropriate standard. Carers told us, "the registered manager is very supportive, she allows us to try out new things without criticism" and "she is a great manager, I love working here."
We observed that people were supported to be involved in decision making and make choices about their day to day care. People were encouraged to maintain independent living skills and to take part in daily life at the home. They were supported to go out into the local community and take part in a range of social activities.
People had detailed care plans that contained information about their needs and the action staff should take to meet them. The staffing levels at the home were suitable to meet people's needs and ensure that they received appropriate care and support.
The provider protected people who use the service against the risks of unsafe or inappropriate care by making sure proper information about the operation of the service and the care of people were kept. The records were in good order, updated as required and accessible to staff as needed.
The home was well maintained and decorated and systems were in place to ensure the health and safety of the people who used the service and staff.