• Care Home
  • Care home

Fletton Avenue

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

35 Fletton Avenue, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE2 8AX (01733) 315090

Provided and run by:
Consensus Support Services Limited

Important: This service was previously managed by a different provider - see old profile

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about Fletton Avenue 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 Fletton Avenue, you can give feedback on this service.

10 March 2021

During an inspection looking at part of the service

Service type

Fletton Avenue is an adapted two-storey residential care home and can accommodate up to six people. The service providing personal care to up to six people, all of whom have a learning disability, autism or Prader-Willi Syndrome. At the time of our assurance visit there were six people using the service.

We found the following examples of good infection prevention and control (IPC) practice.

Prior to entering the premises visitors not subject to any regular COVID-19 testing completed a rapid result test, temperature and blood oxygen level test as well as wearing full personal protective equipment (PPE). Visitors to the service had to pre-book, were time limited and they were escorted directly to people’s room to avoid contact with others.

Staff had initiated various alternatives to visits through the use of video technology and on-line social media forums. Cleaning of frequently touched items was undertaken regularly and deep cleans took place weekly.

People could be isolated if needed and systems were in place to provide a dedicated staff team who would only care for people in isolation. Plans were in place to segregate any potentially infected items.

Staff had a good understanding of IPC practises such as hand hygiene and wore their PPE correctly. Staff had enough stocks and supplies of PPE and disposed of this safely.

Information was provided to people in an alternative format and this helped enable people to understand the pandemic and why staff had to wear PPE.

Individual risk assessments were in place for any person or staff member at an increased risk of infections including being able to isolate. People were supported with social distancing as well as regular ventilation of their room and communal areas.

Audits and governance were effective in ensuring the premises were clean, odour and clutter free. A process was in place if staff needed additional wellbeing support such as, professional counselling.

8 October 2019

During a routine inspection

About the service

Fletton Avenue is a residential care home providing personal care to up to six people all of whom have a learning disability and autism.

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 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

People were positive about the staff and the management team. People told us staff were very caring and that staff knew them extremely well. Staff told us that it was a very happy team and they all worked well together.

People were protected against harm and their rights were upheld. Safe recruitment was followed to ensure the staff employed were suitable to care for people and shared the values of the service.

People received their medicines as prescribed. These were administered by staff who were competent to do so. The registered provider was following relevant guidance for infection control. The environment was clean and well maintained.

Staff received training and were well supported to ensure they had the skills, knowledge and confidence they needed to perform their roles effectively. Staff were very knowledgeable about people's needs and supported people to remain as independent as possible. People were well supported to eat and drink and maintain a healthy diet.

There was a strong person-centred culture throughout the service and staff were skilled in providing good care and support to people. People's dignity was very well managed and individual with people's choices and preferences fully respected.

Staff demonstrated caring values and showed a very positive regard for what was important to people. The trust developed between people and staff helped promote people's independence, confidence and helped them achieve positive outcomes. Respect for equality, diversity and inclusion was fully embedded within the service and in how staff communicated with and worked with people.

Staff promoted people's right to make their own decisions wherever possible and respected the choices they made. 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 registered manager worked within mental capacity legislation and consulted with relevant people on important decisions made in people’s best interest.

People were involved in reviewing their care and making any necessary changes. Information was provided in formats that were accessible to people. When it was needed staff worked well with a range of external health and social care professionals to ensure people's existing and changing needs were being fully met

A process was in place which ensured any concerns or complaints people and their relatives may have had could be raised. Concerns were acted upon quickly and lessons were learned through positive two-way communication.

The service was well managed by a registered provider and registered manager who worked closely together and demonstrated strong values, led by example and maintained an open and a caring culture.

The registered provider had systems in place to monitor quality and was open to the continuous development of the service.

Systems were also in place to enable the registered provider to monitor accidents and incidents to identify any lessons learned and make any improvements when they had identified this was required.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

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

The Secretary of State has asked the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to conduct a thematic review and to make recommendations about the use of restrictive interventions in settings that provide care for people with or who might have mental health problems, learning disabilities and/or autism. Thematic reviews look in-depth at specific issues concerning quality of care across the health and social care sectors. They expand our understanding of both good and poor practice and of the potential drivers of improvement.

As part of thematic review, we carried out a survey with the registered manager at this inspection. This considered whether the service used any restrictive intervention practices (restraint, seclusion and segregation) when supporting people.

Rating at last inspection

At the last inspection we rated this service Good (report published on 19 April 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.

16 March 2017

During a routine inspection

Fletton Avenue provides accommodation and personal care to six people who have a learning disability. Five people were living at the service on the day of our inspection.

This inspection was undertaken by one inspector. At the last inspection on 20 January 2015 the service was rated as ‘Good’. At this inspection we found the service remained ‘Good’.

A registered manager was in post at the time of the inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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.

Systems were in place to manage risks to people using the service and to keep them safe. Risks identified included; eating and drinking, behaviours that challenge and accessing the community. , There was sufficient numbers of staff on duty to safely assist and support people. The recruitment and selection procedure ensured that only suitable staff were recruited to work with people using the service.

The registered manager and staff understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). People were supported to have choice and control over their lives as much as possible. Staff supported people in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People’s needs were assessed, so that their care was planned and delivered in a consistent way. The management and care staff were knowledgeable and enthusiastically about the people they supported and knew their care and support needs well. Staff offered and assisted people with a wide range of choices. People were fully involved in how they wished to organise their day and weekly activities. The registered manager and staff were committed in assisting people to have a fulfilling and very active life and to enjoy activities to extend their skills, improve their health, confidence and abilities.

People experienced a good quality of life because staff received training that gave them the right skills and knowledge to meet their needs. People were supported and assisted with their daily routines, shopping and accessing places of interest in the community.

People received appropriate support to maintain a healthy diet and be able to choose their meals. People had access to a range of health care professionals, when they needed them.

Staff were clear about the values of the service in relation to providing people with compassionate care in a dignified and respectful manner. Staff knew what was expected of them and we observed staff putting these values into practice during our inspection.

The provider had a range of systems in place to assess, monitor and improve the service. People had been consulted about how they wished their care to be delivered and their choices had been respected. People, their relatives and staff were asked for their feedback about the quality of the service provided. Feedback was used to recognise good practice and to drive improvements where shortfalls were identified.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

20 January 2015

During a routine inspection

Fletton Avenue is registered to provide accommodation, support and care for up to six men who have a learning disability. At the time of our visit six people were using the service. The home, which is situated in a suburb of Peterborough, is a domestic style building and is arranged on two levels with a small garden to the rear.

This unannounced inspection was undertaken on 20 January 2015. At our last inspection on 23 May 2013 the provider was meeting all of the regulations we looked at.

A registered manager was 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.

There was a sufficient number of staff to look after people and provide them with the individual support and care that they needed. Pre-employment checks were completed on staff before they were judged to be suitable to work at the care home. People who lived at the care home were encouraged to interview job candidates and their views were taken into account before the person was employed.

People’s risks had been assessed and these were managed. This included risks associated with unhealthy eating and independently going out into the community.

Staff were aware of their roles and responsibilities in reporting incidents that had placed people at risk of harm.

People’s privacy and dignity was respected at all times. They were also encouraged and supported in developing and reviewing the care plans and programmes of activities. All of the staff were kind and caring and took into account what people needed and wanted.

There was a process in place to ensure that people’s health care needs were assessed and action was carried out to meet people’s individual needs. This included the management of their behaviours in relation to eating and incentive programmes to encourage socially acceptable behaviours.

Staff were supported and the standard and quality of their work was kept under review. New staff received induction training to ensure they understood their roles and responsibilities. Staff training and development needs were identified.

People were supported to engage in hobbies and interests that they enjoyed taking part in. People were supported to maintain relationships with their relatives and make friends with each other.

A complaints process was in place which was accessible to people, relatives and others who used or visited the service.

People shared their views and suggestions in relation to food and their hobbies and interests. They were also encouraged and supported to work and take part in fund raising schemes. People had a voice where they were able to improve the range of social activities in the community and talk about their experiences of this on the local radio. Staff were enabled to make suggestions to improve the quality of people’s care.

23 May 2013

During a routine inspection

During our visit to Fletton Avenue on 23 May 2013, we observed a calm and relaxed atmosphere.

Staff demonstrated a good understanding of the individual needs for each person living at Fletton Avenue and we spoke with three people who used the service who told us that they liked living at Fletton Avenue.

The provider had a robust system to manage medication safely and there was a policy in place for staff to follow.

There were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff to meet people's needs. We saw training records that showed staff had received appropriate training to provide care to people who used the service

7 January 2013

During a routine inspection

On the day of our visit, staff were supporting people to access activities outside of the home environment. We spoke with three people who lived in the home who told us they enjoyed living there and they had the opportunity to choose their activities and to contribute to planning the weekly menus. One person said they had had, 'A cracking Christmas this year' at the home.

We found that staff were respectful of people's right to make their own decisions and give consent to care and treatment.

People had access to a range of activities to meet their needs and were also supported to pursue their hobbies and interests such as painting and walking in local parks.

We checked two sets of care records and found that care plans and risk assessments were detailed and reviewed regularly. Risk assessments included the risk of experiencing abuse and how to protect people.

Safeguarding alerts had been investigated by relevant health and care professionals and appropriate actions had been taken.

We found that staff received appropriate development and support to care for people who used the service.

Staff and people who lived at the home used the complaints procedure that was in place. However, records of the investigation and outcome were not always recorded in the complaints log in accordance with the provider's complaints policy.

1 November 2011

During a routine inspection

During our visit on 02 November 2011 people we spoke with told us they had been involved in all aspects of their care planning and in making decisions about how they wanted their assessed needs to be met. One person shared their care file with us and said, "This is my care plan and it is what I have decided about my support". They each told us that they had set themselves specific aims to be achieved and that they had consented to and wanted the care and treatment that was being provided for them.

People advised us that felt safe living at Fletton Avenue and that they were able to talk to staff members if they were not happy with something.