Background to this inspection
Updated
16 January 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 was carried out by two inspectors.
Service and service type
Champions Place is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as 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 the Care Quality Commission. 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
The provider had not been asked to complete the required Provider Information Return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about the service, what it does well and improvements they plan to make.
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We reviewed notifications and safeguarding concerns we had received from the service. Services are required to send these through to CQC as part of their requirements of registration.
During the inspection
We spoke with five people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with four members of staff including the registered manager.
We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and six staff for supervision and appraisal. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including audits were reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the registered manager to validate shortfalls found. They sent us evidence of actions taken immediately following our inspection in relation to medicines, the Mental Capacity Act and health and safety checks.
Updated
16 January 2020
About the service
Champions Place is a residential care home providing accommodation and person care for up to 14 people with a learning disability, such as autism. At the time of our inspection 12 people were living at the service.
The service was working towards the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This was to ensure 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.
The service was a large home, bigger than most domestic style properties. It was registered for the support of up to 14 people. As 12 people were using the service this is larger than current best practice guidance. However. the size of the service having a negative impact on people was mitigated by the building design fitting into the residential area and the other large domestic homes of a similar size. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate it was a care home. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
We identified some shortfalls at the service in relation to medicines checks, audits, people’s feedback and their care plans. We have issued recommendations to the registered provider in relation to these.
People told us they liked living at Champions Place and staff treated them with kindness. People had the support required to enable them to make their own decisions and learn skills new to them. People said they had the medicines they needed and we read where people were at risk of harm staff followed guidance to reduce that risk.
People said they felt safe living at the service and had the ability to access a wide range of activities of their liking. They told us they did not have to wait to be supported by staff and that they liked the food that was provided for them. 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.
People could access healthcare professional involvement when needed and where people had accidents and incidents staff responded to these to reduce reoccurrence. People were supported by staff who had access to training, were competent in their role and worked well together as a team.
Improvements had been made since our last inspection and this was evident through people’s interaction with each other and us. People were relaxed and happy and clearly comfortable in staff’s company.
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 Requires Improvement (report published 20 December 2018).
The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. This was because we had identified breaches of Regulation in relation to medicines and the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.
However, the service remains rated requires improvement. Therefore, this service has been rated requires improvement for the last two consecutive inspections.
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.