• Care Home
  • Care home

Disabilities Trust - 9 Twyford Lane

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Brownswood, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK7 8DE (01908) 639086

Provided and run by:
The Disabilities Trust

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about Disabilities Trust - 9 Twyford Lane 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 Disabilities Trust - 9 Twyford Lane, you can give feedback on this service.

16 October 2019

During a routine inspection

About the service:

Disabilities Trust - 9 Twyford Lane is a residential care home which provides care and support to people with an acquired brain injury. It is registered to provide care for up to nine people. People were supported to live as independently as possible and the service was split into three individual houses all on one complex. Each house occupied up to three people. At the time of our inspection there were nine people living at the home.

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:

The staff and the management team were passionate about providing people with support that was based on their individual needs, goals and aspirations. As a result, their care was tailored to meet their exact needs.

The staff at 9 Twyford Lane were committed to making sure people lived fulfilling lives and were highly motivated with a 'can do' approach which meant they were able to achieve positive outcomes for people. Without exception, people spoke positively about their experience of the service and the successes they had been supported to achieve.

It was clear the culture within the service valued the uniqueness of all individuals who lived there. The service used person centred and innovative ways to provide people with the support they needed, based on best practice. People were fully supported to follow their interests and take part in social activities to achieve their aspirations and dreams.

The service took a key role in the local community and was actively involved in building further links. For example, people were supported to volunteer at a local food bank and one person volunteered at a dog rescue centre.

The complaints procedure which was accessible to people using the service and was easy to use. This was available in easy read and a pictorial version.

Systems were in place to make sure the service was safe, with very good staffing levels and highly skilled staff to deliver good quality care.

Risks to people were fully assessed and well managed. People were supported to take positive risks, to make sure they had greater choice and control of their lives. The positive risk-taking approach showed that staff respected people's rights for independence and to take risks.

People were fully involved and supported to safely recruit staff to work at the service. This ensured that successful applicants had the right values and skills to match the values that were at the heart of the service.

Staff were trained in infection controls and the safe administration of medicines. Robust arrangements were in place to make sure action was taken, and lessons learned when things went wrong, to improve safety across the service.

People's needs, and choices were assessed, and their care was provided in line with their preferences. Staff received an induction process when they first commenced work at the service and received on-going training to ensure they could provide care based on current practice when supporting people.

People were supported to be independent in shopping, preparing and cooking their own meals. Staff supported people to access health appointments when required, including opticians and doctors, to make sure they received continuing healthcare to meet their needs.

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. The principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) were followed.

Staff provided care and support in a very caring and meaningful way. They knew the people who used the service very well and had built up kind and compassionate relationships with them. People and relatives, where appropriate, were involved in the planning of their care and support. People's privacy and dignity was

maintained at all times.

The service continued to be well managed. The provider had systems in place to monitor the quality of the service. Actions were taken, and improvements were made when required. Staff felt well supported and said the registered manager was open and approachable. The service worked in partnership with outside agencies.

Rating at last inspection.

The last rating for this service was Good (published 3 May 2017)

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for 9 Twyford Lane on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

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.

7 April 2017

During a routine inspection

Disabilities Trust - 9 Twyford Lane is a residential care home which supports adults with acquired brain injuries. People are supported to live as independently as possible and the service is split into three individual homes which can each occupy up to three people. Each home has a kitchen-diner and communal area for people to use, as well as private bedrooms. When we visited there were eight people living at the service.

This inspection was unannounced and carried out on 07 April 2017. At the last inspection on 07 April 2015, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained good.

There were systems in place to keep people safe. Staff knew about abuse and there were procedures in place to record and report abuse or any other incidents which took place. Risk assessments were in place to help staff keep people safe and they were regularly updated. Staffing levels were sufficient to ensure people's needs were met and they were recruited robustly, to ensure they were of good character. Systems were in place to encourage people to manage their own medicines but also to provide support in this area if required.

Staff were provided with training and supervision to ensure they had the skills they needed to perform their roles. 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 were able to choose what they wanted to eat and drink and were supported to be as independent as possible with meal preparation. They were also supported to maintain appointments with healthcare professionals when required.

There were positive relationships between people and members of staff. Staff treated people with kindness and took time to get to know them and their interests. People enjoyed the company of staff and were encouraged to be involved in decisions about their own care and the development of the service. Staff worked hard to ensure that people were treated with dignity and respect.

Care was person-centred. People received support which was tailored to their individual needs and the goals which they had set in collaboration with the service. Care plans were reviewed and updated as people's needs and wishes changed and goals were achieved. Staff supported people with social activities and events, as well as work opportunities in the local community. There were systems in place to gather people's feedback, including complaints, about the service. This was used to help the service improve.

There was a positive culture and ethos at the service. Staff were motivated by their roles and felt that they were part of the service. They were well supported by the registered manager and were able to make contributions and suggestions about ways in which the service could develop. Quality assurance procedures were in place to help the registered manager and provider assess, monitor and improve the quality of care being provided at the service.

07 April 2015

During a routine inspection

This inspection took place on 07 April 2015 and was unannounced.

9 Twyford Lane is a residential care home which provides care and support for people with acquired brain injuries. The service supports people to live as independently as possible, helping them with daily living tasks and accessing the community. The service is split into three homes which all occupy one site and share a large garden. Each house has space for three people to live in it.

The service is registered to provide care for up to nine people. At the time of our visit there were six people living at the service, two of whom had gone on leave to visit family.

There was 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.

People felt safe and were protected from abuse by a staff team that were knowledgeable and aware of the potential signs of abuse. Reporting systems were in place and staff were familiar with these.

Risks to people were assessed to reduce the likelihood that harm may be caused.

There were sufficient numbers of staff to meet people’s needs and keep them safe. Staff had been recruited following safe recruitment practices.

There were suitable arrangements in place for the safe storage, management and disposal of medication.

Staff received regular training and refresher sessions. Staff also received support from the registered manager, including formal supervision and appraisal meetings.

People were asked to give consent before being supported by staff. The principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) had been followed when supporting people who lacked the mental capacity to consent to their care and support.

Where people were deprived of their liberty, this was accordance with the guidelines set out by the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). This meant that people were only deprived of their liberty in a way which followed legislation.

People were encouraged to prepare their own meals and drinks and had support from staff to ensure they had enough to eat and drink.

Staff supported people to make and attend health appointments in the local community and receive visits in the service from a team of professionals, such as occupational therapists, when required.

People had developed meaningful relationships with staff and felt valued and listened to.

People were encouraged to share their views and opinions and to contribute to the planning of their care.

Staff promoted people’s privacy and dignity whilst providing care.

The service adapted to people’s changing needs and involved them in care planning and review meetings. People were encouraged to take part in meaningful activities which they chose for themselves.

Comments and complaints were encouraged to provide feedback on the service. Satisfaction surveys were also sent to people to seek feedback out.

There was a positive culture at the service. A well established staff team cared for people in a person-centred and empowering way.

There was good leadership in place. People and staff felt well supported by the registered manager.

Quality checks and audits were completed to ensure people were cared for appropriately and safely.

1 October 2013

During a routine inspection

During our inspection visit to 9 Twyford Lane, we spoke with three people using the service and three members of staff and the manager. We examined two people's care plans and their medication records.

The people we spoke with said that the staff were "very good and supportive" and they 'don't talk down to us' but listen to us. They confirmed that they were aware of their care plans and had been involved in telling staff how they wanted their needs to be met by them. They also told us that they got involved in their review meetings and discussed how they were getting on with meeting their goals. They also told us that they wrote their own menu list and went shopping with staff once a week. We observed this practice on the day of the visit.

One person told us that the 'house is well decorated and clean and homely' and 'it's very enjoyable living here'. All the people told us that they knew how to make a complaint to staff or the head office if they were not happy with their care. One person told us that they were able to raise any issues with staff and they would listen to them.

We found that medicines were handled, administered and disposed of appropriately and there were regular audits to ensure that the procedures had been followed correctly. People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff with the appropriate training to meet their needs.

13 December 2012

During a routine inspection

We spoke to three people who used the service and they told us that they were happy living at 9 Twyford Lane and they all got on well with each other. They told us that they did lots of activities in the home and in the community. Some of the activities included getting involved in planning and choosing the meals for their weekly menus and helping with shopping and doing domestic chores such as doing their laundry and cleaning their bed.

Some people told us that they went to work placements and enjoyed going to the place. They told us that they were looking forward to having their Christmas meal at the home on the day of the visit and they had also chosen to go out for a Christmas meal.

People told us that they knew about care plans because they had been involved in developing their care and rehabilitation plans to help them meet their assessed goals.

People told us that they had residents meetings once a month to discuss activities, menus, and any other issues they wanted to discuss about the running of the home. They said they were all aware of the complaints procedure and knew how to make a complaint, if they were not happy. However they told us that they had no complaints to make as they were happy at the home. They told us that they liked the staff because they listened and helped them with activities they wanted to do.

27 September 2011

During a routine inspection

The three people who use the service fed back their views on the service and the care they had received. People said they were happy living at the home; the staff were nice and 'they actually listen to us'. Should people have concerns they said they would raise them with the manager and information was available to support them through the complaints process.

Two people said there was nothing to improve about the home. People said they had been involved in the general running of the home, for example: help with food shopping, deciding the food menus and in cleaning their own rooms. People said they were involved in making decisions relating to their work experience placements, the types of activities they wanted to pursue and in changes to their care package.

People said they had all been involved in their care reviews during 2010. People said they had been involved in developing their care and rehabilitation plans and had given consent for them to be adopted as part of their care pathway. People said they had key workers.

One person said that he can go out alone; whilst the other two people using the service said they had been supported by staff during trips out.

People said that ongoing and new medical needs had been met and they had attended appointments during 2010/2011 relating to their specific needs.